


Falling

by greenblanketbythefire



Series: Falling Is Meaningless If It’s Not For You [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: And just kinda got dropped into a situation by the gods because reasons I’ll explain much later, Angelgard (Final Fantasy XV), Anxiety, Ardyn Being Ardyn, Ardyn Being Soft At Some Points, Astrals Interference, But you can still read this, Cultural Differences, Cultural exchange, Deltarune References, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, Panic Attacks, Reader Is a Walking Meme, Reader Knows Basic Latin, Reader Knows Norse Mythology, Reader has Asperger’s Syndrome, Reader is From Another World, Reader is a huuuge fucking nerd, Reader is an anxious depressed bean, Reader loves Undertale, Reader-Insert, Self Insert, She loves Undertale a lot, Slow Burn, The Lord of the Rings References, Undertale References, Yes we’re shipping Ardyn with a walking meme of an autistic, but also everything else, like a lot, particularly the music, reader can play piano, reader is a nerd, reader wears glasses, too many tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-04-03
Packaged: 2019-10-14 18:25:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 110,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17513648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greenblanketbythefire/pseuds/greenblanketbythefire
Summary: Reader literally falls into an unknown world and joins Prince Noctis and his entourage on their journey to Altissia. Along the way, she meets a suspicious stranger with whom she feels an odd connection.Come on in, folks! The water’s fine! And falling. It’s a waterfall.(DISCONTINUED)





	1. In Tenebrās

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Usually what I post are one shots, so I’m going to give an actual multi-chapter story a go. I’m super nervous about posting this so please be gentle. This is just a test to see if people like it. I’ve always loved the “reader dropped into another world” scenarios and this has been in my mind for months, so I hope you enjoy. Please let me know if you’d like to see more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “Into Darkness”

Have you ever had a dream where you were falling? Even though you’ve never really fallen from anything before?

Yeah, neither have I. At least, I hadn’t until one day I found myself outside every comfort zone I knew. And you know what? Falling isn’t fun. Not for you, not for the people involved, if any. Because once you fall…

...it’s a bitch getting back up.

 

 

Noctis had never really been one for mornings. That was no secret to anyone, certainly not to Ignis. So once he had finally forced himself up from his sleeping bag and dragged himself outside the tent, he had been expecting breakfast waiting, or at least being cooked. And, of course, that particular day was no exception.

The warm morning air was a nice change from the sweltering heat of the day before. The sun was shining brightly, gleaming on every smooth surface. Noctis wiped the sleep from his eyes and let them adjust.

“Nice of you to join us,” Ignis quipped from the camping stove they had set up that night. He have Noct a small smile. Prompto and Gladiolus were sitting around the now-long-dead fire.

“Mornin’, Noct!” the bubbly blonde greeted.

“Almost thought you were gonna sleep the day away,” said the Shield.

“I could, but then who’d keep your asses in line?” Noct threw back.

“Breakfast is served,” Ignis interrupted, as if to say “Me. _I_ would keep their asses in line.”

The other three soon swarmed the poor man. No one ever had first dibs on breakfast. It was every man for himself and Ignis would take what was left. As soon as four plates were full and four chairs were occupied, the day had commenced. Sausages were scarfed down, eggs were devoured. Bacon was abundant and would not run out any time soon.

As the three finished up and were ready to leave and finish up the hunt they had taken on, there was a loud _B O O M_ that sounded like a sonic boom and a clap of thunder had just shaken hands. Not too far away, up in the sky, what looked like an actual sonic boom (but was later to be revealed not as such) lit up the blue sky with white like a cloud. It was so high up that the four boys did not immediately see what was now falling from the odd formation.

“What is that?” Prompto spoke what they were all thinking.

“Looks like a shadow,” Noctis observed.

“A falling shadow?” Gladio questioned.

“I daresay it’s a _person,”_ Ignis declared, clearly confounded.

“A person?!”

“What do we do?!”

As the dark figure continued to fall from much too great a height, it became more recognizable as at least a person-sized thing at least. Not too much could be determined from so far away.

“The hell do we do?” Gladio roared. As panic set in, Noct began frantically looking around for something to help. His eyes finally settled.

“The tent!” he shouted. “If that’s a person, there’s no way they’re not going to survive a fall that big.”

Without much care for their things, the tent was uprooted from its cozy spot on the Oracle Runes and rushed out into the wilderness. Noctis was warping far ahead to get an estimate of where exactly the thing - or person - was going to inevitably land. There wasn’t much of a shadow on the ground just yet but luckily the occurrence hadn’t happened far from their campsite.

“Over here!”

The four took formation, each holding a different side of the tent. With their practiced teamwork, they followed the the strange form until it came closer.

“By the gods, that really is a person,” Ignis breathed.

“What if they go straight through the tent?” Prompto panicked.

“Not gonna happen,” Gladio growled determinedly.

“Focus,” Noctis directed.

The person’s shadow grew ever larger.

 

 

I had an odd dream one night. I was flying through the sky over an ocean of deep blue. The clouds and I made friends, their fluff fueling my excitement. I’d never had such a dream before. I had always longed to fly, but I was afraid of falling. What happens when you fall and can’t get back up? Is there anyone to help you? What if no one comes?

My dream was not so. There were islands beneath me. I tilted myself forward and began to descend. The islands were not islands, but smaller continents. I was overlooking a beach with white sand and a pier with no boats. Out from the coast was an actual island. It’s mountains looked like angel wings. That intrigued me more than the beach. I had see beaches before, had gotten tired of them. But an island of angels? What did they guard? A heavenly secret? The domain of God?

I hovered near it, the water below me sloshing lazily. Something was stopping me from moving forward. But I wanted to. I drifted slowly, inch by inch, hoping nothing would fly out and command me to stop. This continued until I reached the shore and stepped down onto what looked like the smallest of battlefields.

_I should not be here. I really shouldn’t be here._

I took another step. And another. And one more after that and still more until I was standing in the middle of a circle of swords. What was this place? It’s very air screamed dread. Something had happened here. Something awful.

“And so, like the Fallen Son before her, she reaches the angel’s guard.”

A soft voice spoke behind me and I whipped around to see- a blur. What was I seeing? An angel? She was- yes, she - blue with wings sprouting from her back. I couldn’t make out a face, and suddenly the air became cold.

And then I was falling.

My eyes opened to see blue once more, but this time it was the blue of the sky.There were clouds beside me and wind in my ears - and then the clouds drifted above me. The screeching currents of air tossed me about. My glasses slipped off my face and I was jerked around. My heart jerked, too, and nearly stopped.

That was definitely ground below. It was a mix of brown and green. I couldn’t see much more than that.

It then dawned on me that I was falling and could not stop.

“Oh my god,” I managed to force out, but my voice was left behind. It was like my bed had pulled out from under me. Hadn’t I just been sleeping?

...Was I screaming? I couldn’t tell if it was me or the wind. My limbs scrambled to find purchase on anything, be it the wind, the disappearing clouds or the sky itself. My hands met nothing and so did my mind. I couldn’t think and that scared me more than anything.

And so I fell.

And fell.

And fell.

The ground was now approaching fast, a dark shape on the ground I could only assume was my shadow. This was it. This was how I died. I was going to die. By all things holy, I was going to _actually die._

_I’m going to die I’m going to die I’m going to die I’m going to die I’m going to-_

“Woah!”

That was not my voice.

My fall was instantly broken by- a trampoline? I was bouncing now and a prolonged squeak left my mouth as the trampoline moved with me.

How on earth did I survive that? How the hell did I _survive that? I should not have survived a fall from that high._

“Careful, now,” said a different voice that still wasn’t mine. My bouncing slowly came to a stop and the trampoline deflated. Wait, trampolines don’t deflate. I was lying on my stomach on what felt like...a rain jacket? Yeah, I definitely should not have survived by a fucking _rain jacket._ Deciding I wasn’t ready to face the world just yet, I stayed lying down.

“Is… is she okay?” came yet another voice.

“Hey, you alright?” asked a fourth. I was nudged. I maneuvered my head to look up. I was met with a bespectacled gaze. Two more people came into view. One was blonde, the other… was there a word for people with black hair? And then another black haired person showed up. Four. Four guys were surrounding me. I wearily lifted myself up only to fall back down again.

“Here,” said the tallest one, coming to help me up. My shock and near-death experience told me to lie the fuck back down but these four men figuratively said otherwise. I was propped up by two strong arms. “You okay? That was some fall.”

“I-I…”

The gravity of the situation - literal and otherwise - came crashing down on me and my eyes stung as I tried to hold back tears.

“I… I don’t… I…”

“Give her a moment, Gladio.” The only one with glasses spoke now. His hair was light brown and styled so his bangs were standing over his forehead. One of my shaking hands came up to wipe the rapidly forming tears away.

“What… What happened…” I finally croaked after what felt like an eternity.

“We were kinda hoping you’d tell us that yourself,” said the first black haired guy. His eyes were a striking blue. And he… looked like an anime character?? What…?

“I-I don’t… I don’t k-know. One moment I was asleep, dreaming, and then I- I woke- I w-w-wo… I w-woke up and I was f-falling…”

I looked up to the sky I just plummeted from. How far up had I been for these four to have time to catch me?

“Th-thanks for catching me…”

“No problem,” said the anime protagonist. “But uh, next time you decide to go skydiving, maybe try it somewhere less… dangerous?”

“Y-yeah… Sounds good…”

“Perhaps we should help her to camp,” suggested Glasses.

“Right,” answered the one holding me up. “Can ya walk?”

“Um…” I hummed quietly. I took a shaky step forward - and promptly collapsed. “...No.”

I was suddenly yanked up. The tallest was now carrying me towards what looked like a flat rock with blue carvings. I squeaked again as I realized I was now in the air again. Squirming, I tried to get comfortable.

“Stop moving,” my carrier grunted.

“Sorry,” I whispered. As I was carried, I looked around. I was in what could be described as sort of desert mixed with grassland. I wasn’t really up to date on overly specific biomes.

I was transport up a natural ramp of a walkway and found the four guys had made a camp here. But the tent was… ohhhh… So _that’s_ what I landed on. As I inspected the place, I realized I had interrupted their breakfast. Whoops. Note to self, apologize for that later. There were four camping chairs around the remains of a campfire. I was deposited in one of said chairs. The foursome moved around so I could see them all.

“Thanks…”I trailed, not knowing who to look at. So I looked down at the campfire. It was just charred wood at this point.

“So you don’t know how you got here,” stated the Carrier. I shook my head and looked back up at each of them.

“Do you have a name?” the blonde one asked. I told them my name quietly.

“Where are you from? Anywhere around here?” That question came from Anime Protag.

“Uh… Where am I?” I asked in return.

“Near Hammerhead,” Glasses answered.

“And… where’s that?”

“Leide.”

”And…. where is that?”

The four exchanged glances and looked back to me.

“Lucis,” said Anime Protag.

”And… where is that?” I asked for the millionth time, feeling utterly lost.

“You don’t… You’re not from Lucis?”

”Lucis?”

”What about Niflheim?” Carrier interrogated. “You from Niflheim?”

“Niflheim…? You know that’s not a- Wait, what?”

I looked at them, extremely confused and wondering why they thought I was from a mythological realm.

“If you’re not from Lucis or Niflheim, then are you from Altissia?” the blonde one asked curiously.

“From where?”

“Or Tenebrae?” Anime Protag looked hopeful.

“Darkness??? I’m not from darkness, that sounds ominous…”

“Then where the hell are you from?”

“I’m from America.”

They didn’t look convinced.

“Y-you know, the United States? On North America? B-Bordered by Canada… and Mexico…?”

“Yeah… Never heard of any of those places.” Carrier was looking at me like I was now a suspect for a murder.

“So you’re from Nowhere,” Anime Protag deadpanned. I slumped in my seat.

“Might as well be…” I muttered. “I’ve never heard of… Lucis? Light? O-or… What’s an ‘Altissia’?”

”Not Niflheim?”

“I’m not from a mythological realm, no.”

“A what?” Blondie looked more confused than ever.

“Niflheim? One of the nine realms from Norse mythology?”

They exchanged glances once more.

“Is there an Asgard? Midgard? Jotunheim?”

No answer. Yep. I was totally screwed.


	2. Princeps Filius, Scutum, Consiliarius, et Pauper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader begins to get to know her new friends and the world they live in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “The Prince, the Shield, the Advisor, and the Pauper”
> 
> A few people bookmarked this and I don't want to let them down so I'm going to keep going. Now, I'm horrible at schedules, so there won't be anything set in stone, but I'll try to write a chapter at least once every two weeks if not every week.  
> Also, chapter titles will either be in Latin or will be a random meme/post that relates to the chapter itself.  
> So without further ado, let's jump into this once more.

"So… Noctis… Ignis… Prompto… Gladio…?”

I got four nods in return. Ignis was back at the stove, gathering something onto a plate. Noctis and Prompto were sitting now, but Gladio remained standing, still eyeing me with suspicion. I felt guilty under his gaze, even though I had done nothing wrong. I had done nothing wrong… right? 

_ Night, fire, something, something, _ I thought.  _ No idea what “prompto” or “gladiolus” mean… _

They had also given me their last names. Noctis’ name essentially meant “night light sky” so I opted to call him “nightlight” in my head. Ignis’ name literally meant “fire knowledge” which I thought was funny. Amicitia sounded like the word for friend, so I assumed that’s what it meant. As for Argentum, again, no clue.

These four seemed nice enough. Gladio was Carrier, Ignis was Glasses, Prompto was Blondie, and Noctis was Anime Protag. Prompto seemed like the happy go lucky one of the group, Noctis was obviously the emo or at least the most brooding, Ignis was smartest, denoted by his glasses, and Gladio must be the overprotective one. Wait…

“Y-you guys wouldn’t have happened to have seen a pair of glasses when I fell, did you?” I spouted.

“Uh, I didn’t see anything, did you?” Prompto asked Noctis. The latter shook his head.

“Did you, Specs?” Gladio inquired.

“I’m afraid not,” Ignis replied. “Do you know when they came off?”

“While I was falling…” I disclosed.

“I’ll go take a look,” Gladio offered, already walking towards the ledge we had walked up.

“Oh, that’s okay!” I quickly cut in. “You don’t have to - I’ll just… go look when I’m - when I can walk again.”

“And how exactly are you going to see?”

“Uh, well… I mean, I can see, everything’s just really fuzzy…”

“Yeah, thought so.”

He went off anyway. I slumped in my chair for what felt like the billionth time. These guys were saints for being so nice. How would I repay them? I didn’t have anything on me that was worth much, except for...

“My phone…” I whispered to myself. I pulled the device out of my pocket and tapped the screen. It lit up, battery almost full. It displayed the time - 10:51am.

“Hey, you’ve got a phone?” Prompto lit up as well. “Maybe we’re not so different after all!”

“Uh, yeah…” I unlocked it only to find that there was no signal. My hand dropped to my lap. “So much for that…”

I slipped it back into my pocket. Oh, so the universe decided my headphones would travel with me, as well. Nice to know. Other than those two things, however, there was nothing else in my jacket pockets.

“So do you remember anything from before you fell?” Ignis asked. “Any strange dreams or visions?”

“Um…”

I struggled to remember. I had been flying and then… there was that beach and then that island… everything after that was a mystery locked behind a blurry glass door. I relayed this to them.

“A beach?” Prompto voiced. “You mean like Galdin Quay?”

“Galdin what?” I questioned.

“Galdin Quay! It’s a beach resort. We were heading there, actually.”

“That island could be near there,” Noctis suggested. “It’s good place as any to start.”

“Wait, you mean you’ll- you’ll… help me?” I asked, bewildered. I must have looked pitifully touched.

“Well, yeah, I mean… We found you and you don’t know where you are; ‘s’not like we could just leave you here.”

“Well, I mean, you could but… That’s awfully kind of you… You don’t have to, I’m sure I could… um… well, I’m sure I could figure it out.”

“But you don’t even know what country you’re in,” Prompto put in.

“I just… I don’t… Y-you must be busy. I’d just… Won’t I get in the way?”

They looked surprised for some reason. I shrunk into myself, pulling my jacket more tightly around me. Anxiety was creeping in, making me feel guilty for holding these guys up with whatever they were doing. Why would they help me? Won’t I just be a burden?

“Like Prompto said, we were heading to Galdin anyway,” Ignis swooped in to save me from my thoughts. “Since it sounds like you were there in your dream, it makes sense to bring you along with us.”

Tears pricked my eyes. “That’s… so nice of you…”

Of all the people I could have run - or fell - into, it just so happened to be the four nicest guys on this planet.

“I should have asked - do you have any food allergies?” Ignis asked. I looked up at him. He was holding a plate with food on it.

“Uh… Well… It’s kind of embarrassing but… I’m allergic to apples.”

“Apples?” Noctis and Prompto synced. I blushed and nodded.

“My teeth get all tingly and my lips swell up. It’s not fun. I really miss eating apples.”

“Noted,” Ignis stated. He handed me the plate. An assortment of basic breakfast foods had been neatly arranged onto it. Bacon, eggs, sausage, and a little bit of fruit. Ignis was picking away a few apple slices. “Anything else we should know?”

“Wow, thanks,” I breathed, taking the plate. My next words were spoken smally. “Um… I… I hate to be a bother but… it’s no secret to anyone who knows me that I’m a picky eater…”

“You’re not the only one.” Ignis gave Noctis a disapproving glance.

“B-but I… I have a reason… But… I mean… Well… Do you… Do you guys know what Asperger’s Syndrome is?”

“Asperger’s Syndrome?” Prompto echoed, much like I had done earlier with place names.

“Ah, yes, it’s a mild form of autism, is it not?” Ignis speculated. I sighed with relief.

“Yeah, ‘mild,’” I repeated with air quotes. “Good to know that exists… wherever I am.”

“Wait, autism, like- like the mental illness?” Prompto questioned.

“Disorder. It’s a mental disorder, not illness.” I may have sounded too harsh when I said that, but oh well. Too late to take it back. “Contrary to popular belief, there is not a ‘cure’ and certainly no epidemic.”

“Oh. Okay. Good to know, I guess.”

“Sorry, I feel kinda strongly about that.”

“No, it’s fine! The more you know.”

I gave a half smile and began to pick at my food. After the first bite, I realized how hungry I was. Gladio came back not long after I finished.

“These yours?” He held up my beloved glasses. I smiled widely then and nodded.

“Thank you so much!”

“No problem. They’re a bit dirty, though.”

“When are they not?”

I heard Ignis give a short huff of laughter. I used my shirt to scrub the dirt and dust off. Once it was acceptable, I slipped them on.

“That’s much better.”

“So, how’re your legs?” Gladio asked. “Think you can walk now?”

           My eyebrows furrowed. I moved to put pressure on one foot. It was a bit shaky but seemed like it could hold me. I braced myself and stood. Wobbling, I let gravity do its job and gained balance. Just put one foot in front of the other… I couldn’t hide a relieved smile. I could walk, albeit like a newborn lamb. The others looked ready to help if I should collapse.

            “I think I’m good,” I said slowly.

            “Good. We takin’ her with us?”

            “Yep,” said Noctis. “She had a dream about Galdin before she fell. Might as well let her tag along.”

            “Galdin, huh? You know Galdin but not the rest of Lucis?”

            “I wouldn’t say that,” Ignis said. “None of our familiar locations seem to ring a bell.”

            “You don’t think Cindy or Cid would know anything about this, do you?” Prompto asked with hope in his voice. I wondered who Cindy and Cid were.

            “That’s not a bad place to start. Perhaps there’s a local legend of people falling from the sky.”

            “Still gotta finish that hunt for Dave, first,” Noctis cut in. “Can’t walk into town empty handed.”

            I watched the conversation with curiosity. I had no idea what they were talking about, but if I was indeed in a completely different world, then I’d need to get my bearings. From what I could infer, these guys had helped someone named Dave and offered to finish hunting something for him.

            “Hey,” Gladio said, getting my attention. “Can you fight?”

            “Can I what?” I blurted out. Fight? Why would I need to fight? “Um, no.”

            “Should we leave her here and come back?”

_ I’m right here… _

            “Nah, she can just hang back,” Noctis told him. He looked at me. “That okay with you?”

            I nodded, utterly lost once more. What were they fighting? Would it really take all four of them to defeat it? As Noctis headed back down to the grassy plain below, I followed with a million thoughts running through my head.

            The first was how surreal this whole experience was. These guys didn’t seem any different from back home. Somehow we all spoke the same language. The terrain wasn’t unfamiliar, either. Maybe Lucis was some obscure country I’d never heard of before, closed off from the rest of the world. But then there was the mention of Niflheim. Surely that wasn’t a coincidence. But if they knew Norse mythology, then how did they not know what America was?

            Another matter was the feeling of this new place. It certainly  _ felt  _ new, but not in a way that was unsettling. There was an odd sense of mysticism that came from my surroundings, almost like the land was infused with a magic of some sort. I’d never lucid dreamed before, but was this what it was like? Was I lucid dreaming? I decided to test it. You can control lucid dreams, right? Lucid and Lucis sound similar. So… I conjured up a torch in my mind. Focusing, I tried to transfer that thought into whatever reality I was now in.

            Nothing happened. I tried again. Nothing. My eyes narrowed.  _ Now _ something felt off. I had been treating this like it was a dream. I pinched myself. Ouch. I gave my arm a slap. Pain but nothing else. My heart jolted and my breathing picked up. This wasn’t a dream. My God, this isn’t a dream.

            “Hey.” I looked up to see Noctis addressing me. “You got dualhorns where you’re from?”

            “Uhh… I don’t think so,” I answered, glad something was taking my mind off an impending existential crisis. “What’s that?”

            “Big gray brute,” Gladio said. “Two horns, taller than me. Don’t let it see you. Can’t have you getting hurt.”

            Whatever a dualhorn is, it sounded huge.

            “S-So, um, how far is it?” I asked.

            “A few minutes at least,” Noctis answered. “Why?”

            “I was just wondering- if- if I could ask you some things.”

            “Sure!” Prompto chirped. “Go for it.”

            “Alright, so… We’re in a place called Lucis. And there’s also a place called Niflheim and… Tenebrae? Are they all the same place, like, the same country, or…?”

            “We’re in Lucis right now,” Ignis explained. “It is a kingdom plagued by darkness, as is the rest of world. Niflheim is an empire to the north. They are bent on conquering every land  they can get their hands on. Tenebrae is one of their territories. It was taken twelve years ago, and Accordo, where the city of Altissia lies, has been under their rule for much longer.”

            “Oh, okay. So… you’re at war with Niflheim? Is that why you were so suspicious?”

            “Our apologies, but yes. Can’t be too careful.”

            “It’s okay. I understand now. And… is this ‘Galdin Quay’ in Lucis?”

            “Won’t be for much longer,” Noctis said bitterly. I gave Ignis a questioning glance. The man sighed, pushing his glasses up.

            “Recently, a peace treaty was proposed by none other than the Chancellor himself.” Even Ignis sounded frustrated. “From what I heard, he waltzed right in as if he owned the place.”

            “Demanded Lucis give up all territories save the Crown City,” Gladio said. “And His Majesty has us going to Altissia so this guy,” he jabbed his thumb in Noctis’ direction, “can get married to Lady Lunafreya to officiate it.”

            Wow, the king himself had asked these guys to accomplish such a task? But what was so special about Noctis to be the one betrothed. Did that make him the Crown Prince? Was I traveling with an actual  _ prince? _

            “To answer the look on your face, yes, Noct  _ is _ the next in line to the throne,” Ignis said.

            “That’s… a lot to take in,” I managed. “And… you’re  _ sure _ I’m not getting in the way?”

            “How many times we gotta tell ya?” Noctis sounded exasperated. “It’s no hold up to us. Certainly not to you.”

            I sunk into my jacket protectively. I wished I could tell him about anxiety. Would that make me less annoying? Did they find me annoying? I hoped not. They wouldn’t offer to help me if they did, right?

            “And don’t think just ‘cause I’m a prince means you have to act any differently. Prompto’s never treated me like one, so neither should you.”

            For some reason that made me smile. It was like they were accepting me already and I had only known them for less than an hour. I made to tell them they were the nicest guys I’d ever met when a loud roar cut the tracks of my train of thought. We had come to clearing with an opening in the raised land before us. Looking ahead, I noticed Gladio’s description hadn’t been wrong.

            In the middle of the open inlet was what looked like a rhino. The only differences were the horn, which split into two, and some odd black vapor rising from its head. I shrunk back. Yeah, I’d definitely let these four handle this. I blinked and- where did Gladio get that sword from?

            I looked at each of them. Noctis held a one-handed sword, Gladio’s was a huge two-handed rectangular sword that looked to be longer than his body, Ignis was gripping twin daggers, and Prompto had a gun. Where did those come from? They hadn’t been holding those before.

            Noctis looked ready to charge into battle, but Gladiolus grabbed his shoulder, holding him back.

            “Wait a sec,” he said somewhat casually for facing such an enormous creature. I noted the similar lingo in language.

            “What?” Prompto teased. “Scared, big guy?”

            “You oughta be, too. Thing’s vicious.”

            “Looks tame to me.”

            “Yeah,” Noctis agreed. I did not.

            “What’s wrong with its head?” I asked quietly, more to myself than anyone else. That mist coming from its head gave me a bitter feeling, like something was waiting to strike unseen. I was suddenly pushed behind Ignis as he told them to look out. The dualhorn was approaching. We had been spotted. My eyes widened as it began to charge. Four of us moved out of the way as Gladio went straight towards it. With a somewhat slow yet powerful swing, he knocked the thing on its side with his greatsword. “Woah…”

            “Yeah! Show him who’s boss!” “Nice one!”

            “It’s not over yet!” Ignis called out my name. “Find somewhere to hide!”

            “R-right!”

            I scrambled to a rock nearby that I could peer over. I felt a bit cowardly but there really wasn’t anything I could do. I thought about distracting it for them, but wasn’t that a bit much to do for people I had just met?

_ They need their lives more than you, _ my bastard of a brain told me.  _ You can’t even do anything to help. Useless. _

_ I don’t really know what you expect me to do about that at, like, 11 in the morning, my dude, _ I shot back. I decided to ignore my thoughts and watch the battle before me.

            It was something straight out of a modern fantasy setting. Noctis was zipping around the clearing in bright blue flashes, attacking the dualhorn from its blind spots. Gladio was clearly the powerhouse of the quarter in terms of strength. He was dealing damage left and right. Ignis was absolutely graceful with his daggers. Every move was like watching the lovechild of ballet and combat. Prompto, however, was clearly the least skilled. The others had obviously been training for years but the blonde wasn’t quite up to date. That didn’t mean he wasn’t good at what he did, though. He seemed to find openings quicker than anyone else and used those to his advantage.

            I wished I had thought to record the whole thing but I was so mesmerized by what I was seeing that I had forgot about my phone. Most of my focus was on Noctis. I wasn’t sure how he was- was-  _ warping _ around the scene like he had some crazy teleportation magic. Magic was probably what it was; if this world was “plagued by darkness” then magic surely wasn’t out of the question.

            They wrapped up the fight fairly quickly, Noctis landing the final blow. The hulking creature fell onto its side once more and did not get up. I stood from my hiding spot, unsure what to say. The others looked to me, almost as if waiting for approval.

            “That-“ I stuttered, a dorky smile forming on my face, “that was  _ awesome _ .”

            “Haha, yeah, we know,” Prompto said proudly.

            “What, don’t have regular beast hurts wherever you’re from?” Gladio asked teasingly.

            “Not with something like  _ that,” _ I answered, still impressed. I glanced at Noctis. “And certainly not with crazy…  _ warping _ abilities.”

            “Warping’s actually what it’s called,” he told me.

            “Oh. Well, it was still cool. The rest of you can’t do that?”

            “Only Noct can since he’s royalty,” Gladio explained. “But we can summon weapons like he can.”

            “So it’s a bloodline thing? Is it, like, magic?”

            “That is a story to be left for the road,” said Ignis. “I hate to kill the mood, but the car is most likely finished by now.”

            We began walking, all of us following Noctis. I wondered what had happened to their car. What did Ignis mean by “finished?” Did it break? My mind was like a hydra. I had so many questions. Each time one was answered, more took its place.

            Beneath my jacket, my skin was starting to feel slick. Oh great I was sweating. But no way in hell was I taking my jacket off. It’s my security blanket, and we would not be separated. The heat was sweltering, though. Must be summer, I thought.

            “Sick of this endless walking,” Noctis complained up ahead. I could see a small gas station getting nearer now. I assumed we were heading there.

            “Pretend you’re walking to the car,” Ignis said. I let out an amused exhale. Traveling with these guys was going to be fun, I could already tell.

            “So…” I found myself saying despite my mind’s anxious warnings. “If Noctis is the prince, then who are you guys?”

            “I’m just a commoner,” Prompto said lightly. Ignis explained that they had met in high school which had me questioning why the prince of an entire nation would go to a public school. Then Noct backtracked and told me that they had met before that when Lady Lunafreya’s dog was injured and Prompto nursed it back to health. I thought that was sweet.

            Next was Gladiolus, who was Noctis’ Shield. That one was pretty straightforward. He was to protect Noctis with his life and he took great pride in it. It had been his family’s duty for generations. He was also the one to teach Noctis how to fight. That created an interesting dynamic between the two.

            Last but certainly not least was Ignis. He was Noctis’ retainer/advisor. He had been tending to the prince since they were little kids and was very much the mom friend of the entire group. He did the cooking, too, and most of the driving. I was starting to get a picture of how these four interacted and worked together. They were a very close knit group and while I did feel extremely out of place, I also felt like they’d be willing to have a fifth member, even if it was only temporary.


	3. “This Is Wonderful! This Is Going To Be Fine!” I Was Soon To Change My Mind, However.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shocking revelation befalls Dearest Reader, so she does what she does best: pushes it down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few things:  
> 1) I’m kinda iffy about some things in this chapter so... Well, I tried.  
> 2) This chapter’s pretty long, and the next few will be, as well.  
> 3) I have chapter 4 already. Should I post it?  
> But worry not, dear friends, Ardyn’s definitely in the next chapter so look forward to that~

Hammerhead wasn’t as shark themed as I’d expected. In fact, I was sorely disappointed in the lack of sharp-toothed water predators. Not even one Jimmy Buffett Landshark. How dare they.

Anyway, on the way there, whoever this Cindy person was called to confirm their car had been fixed. Then, right as we reached the road, the largest bird I’d ever seen flew down and right over us. It reminded me of the first Pokemon episode when Ho-oh flies over Ash. Except this thing was dark and terrifying and had, like, six wings. I decided to call it the Roc because that was only bird I knew of to be that size.

Crossing the highway - was it a highway? I couldn’t tell, there were only two lanes - we came into your regular run downish interstate gas station. There was a diner to the left, the convenient store in the middle, and a car garage to the right. In the front of the garage was a beautiful black convertible which I later came to know as the Regalia. It was Noctis’ own version of the Winchesters’ Impala in Supernatural. The only problem was that I didn’t know how I was going to fit in there with four guys, two of which reached at least six feet tall.

Standing next to the Regalia was a cute blonde girl wearing a rather revealing outfit. My mind began to judge but I immediately put a stop to that. This girl could wear whatever the hell she wanted. Besides, in that heat, I didn’t blame her.

Noctis and the girl - Cindy - exchanged a few words. The car was ready to go. The girl’s country accent took me by surprise but it put me at ease. I may not have a Southern accent myself, but being from the South, it was familiar and comforting. My Aspie senses were ringing with happiness at the familiarity of the small town. It was no different from the rest stops you find off highway exits.

The four went to take a picture with the Regalia. I moved out of the way, not sure if I was welcome to their small festivities just yet. Once Cindy handed the camera back to Prompto, she turned to me.

“I see ya’ll made a new friend,” she said. “Don’t think I’ve seen ya around here before. Where ya from?”

“Uhh…” I blanked, freezing up. Thankfully, the world had gifted us Ignis.

“About that,” he cut in, pushing his glasses up, “we were wondering if you or Cid happened to know of any… urban legends around here regarding strangers from the sky.”

“Hmm, now that’s an odd question…” Cindy thought for a moment. “I don’t remember hearing anything like that recently, but Pawpaw might be able to ya’ll more than me.”

We followed her inside the garage. Pawpaw was Cid and Cid was an old man with a beard and red cap. He had clearly been working in this business for a while. Oil stained his worn jeans and his red uniform jacket had seen better days. He looked to be a grandfather like figure, though a little rough around the edges.

“Hey, Pawpaw, the boys have a little question for ya, if you don’t mind.”

“What is it?” I had been expecting a raspy voice. He sounded a tad annoyed, though. “Something’s not wrong with the car, I hope. You didn’t wreck it again, didja?”

“Uh, no,” Noctis answered, a bit put off. “Actually, we were wondering if maybe you could tell us about any kind of story or rumor of people falling from the sky…?”

It really did sound ridiculous now that it was spoken aloud. Cid turned from where he was tinkering with something and locked eyes with… me.

“Fallin’ from the sky, huh,” he muttered, studying my now anxious figure. “I can think of one legend, not sure how much truth there is to it.”

“Would you mind telling us?” Ignis asked. “We witnessed a, er, odd phenomena earlier this morning.”

“Mind, it is a thousand years old, but… you didn’t find this girl just anywhere, didja? Haven’t seen her before.”

My eyes widened and I shrunk behind Noctis.

“Well, story goes that one of the Oracles was passin’ through. Stopped at a campsite not too far from here that turned into those blue runes. One day, a man just fell from the sky, like a fallen angel, or something like that. Only he was as human as you and me.”

So this had happened before…? Who was the Oracle? Could I get home?

“I don’t know the details, but that fella and the Oracle got along mighty fine. Traveled with her and saw what the world had to offer. Not much more to it than that. Some people believe they even got married.”

“But- Did he ever get back?” I asked frantically. “To where he came from?”

“Can’t say he did. But that’s the gods for ya. You got a purpose, you serve it. Astrals know I learned that the hard way.”

It was like reality came crashing down around me. I couldn’t hear anything or feel anything. I could see but it was like white was fading in from the corners of my vision. My breath hitched and my eyes were stinging from keeping a wide stare.

Things had been going so smoothly, for the most part. I didn’t die from falling. I found a group of guys who were kind enough to help me figure this all out. I got to visit a different world and witness actual magic. I had been alright for a while. But this? Not being able to get back home? Not getting to see my family again? No more waking up to my cat purring beside me? Or spending weekends with my friends? ...No more exact, familiar surroundings to keep me at true ease?

I didn’t even notice I’d been moving. Someone was gripping my shoulder and leading me outside. The sun was too bright. It was so bright, I couldn’t take it. I covered my eyes with my hand, desperately trying to block out the light. It didn’t work. Why wasn’t it working? Why couldn’t I go home?

“-ou alright?”

_What?_

“S… out of…”

Slowly, I tuned back into my new reality. I was standing outside the garage in the afternoon sun. Noctis and Ignis were directly in front of me. They looked equally concerned. My cheeks felt wet. The air smelled humid and hot. The warmth from the sun was scorching and my face was flushed.

“She needs to sit down,” Ignis told Noctis. He nodded. It was his hand on my shoulder. He directed me toward the diner where I was sat down in a secluded corner and out of the sun. I raised a hand to my face. I hadn’t even realized I was crying. I was so confused. This wasn’t a dream, no.

It was a nightmare.

 

 

I wasn’t sure how long I stayed staring at the table surface. I was holding my new friends up, I knew that. But I couldn’t just ignore this problem like I usually would. There was no escape from it. I was lost in a totally different world with no way back and with no recollection of how I had really gotten here. It was tearing me apart inside. If I didn’t get ahold of myself soon, I’d have a panic attack and that was something no one wanted, especially not in a public place.

“She gonna be okay?” I heard Gladio’s voice.

“I’m starting to think maybe I should call my dad,” came Noctis’. “Bet he’d know what to do.”

“I’m not sure it’d be best to call him just yet,” said Ignis. “He’s much too busy with the peace treaty.”

“Then what do we do?” Prompto asked. “We can’t just leave her. Not like this. Not even at Galdin.”

“Then we take her to see Luna,” Noctis decided.

“I was about to suggest the same, Highness,” Ignis agreed.

“If we can’t reach Dad, then that’s the next best thing. Maybe she’ll know more about this than we do.”

“We can only hope.”

Another thirty minutes later and I was feeling more and more like a fish out of water. These boys were willing to help me fix this, but that didn’t stop me from being a literal alien. I had no idea how this world worked. They had mentioned gods several times. So they must be polytheistic. Had these gods summoned me here? But for what? Why on Earth would they want me of all people? I shouldn’t even be on their list!

Someone softly said my name. I looked up to see my new companions looking very worried.

“Hey, you okay?” Prompto asked quietly. “You look pretty pale…”

I shook my head. How could I be okay right now?

_Push it down. Don’t let it get to you. Don’t let them see how hurt you are. You’re just burdening them more._

“We… We thought we’d take you to see Luna, the Oracle,” Noctis explained softly. “The, uh, _current_ Oracle. We were already going there anyway, so don’t think anything of it, okay?”

 _Why are they being so_ nice _to me?_

“What am I supposed to do…?” I whispered, my voice cracking. My breathing picked up. “I can- I can’t- I c-ca…”

The road to hyperventilation was uncomfortable and unwanted. My throat dried quickly as my breaths became shorter and quicker and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My right hand slipped under my glasses to cover my eyes. The sensory overload was too much. I had to calm down. I forced myself to take deep breaths as someone rubbed circles on my back. My lungs slowed their intake and I began to count. I counted the windows in the diner, the chairs, and people. With each number I uttered, I calmed down just a little bit more. Finally I reached stable point.

“I can…” I breathed. “I can do this. Just gotta make it… to the Oracle.”

“That’s the spirit,” Ignis encouraged. I shoved all thought of home and the dread of not returning to the back of my mind. I would just have to focus on my curiosity to remain sane. Yeah. I could do that. Right?

“But uh… where do I start?”

“You mean, where do we start?” Prompto corrected, a bit lightly now that I was looking better.

“We’re going to Altissia, where His Highness’ wedding will be held,” Ignis said. “And since he is marrying the Oracle herself, I see no reason not to take you with us.”

“Same here,” Noctis chimed in. “It’s no trouble at all, okay?”

I nodded. I quietly told them they were the nicest people I’d ever met. That seemed to lift everyone’s spirits. After a few minutes of letting me catch my breath still, we had a quick lunch and headed out to the car. Cindy was waiting, looking just as concerned as the guys, and so was Cid. Although, he seemed more stern than anything.

“Hey, you feeling alright?” Cindy asked softly. I nodded, not feeling up to smiling just yet. “Just let us know if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” I said, voice wavering a little. This whole situation was hard to swallow. Nothing _looked_ different from home besides the wildlife. But if I thought enough, the realization that I might never see my family again caused a big lump to form in my throat.

“Here.” Cid’s voice drew me from my snowballing mindset. He was handing me a thick book that honestly looked more like a textbook than light reading. “S’not much, but if it turns out you can’t get back, well, might be good to get familiar with the land.”

The book was a history of this world, which was called Eos. I turned to the table of contents. The book started right at the beginning with a brief summary of their cosmogony. My lips weren’t listening to my brain but my eyes lit up. I had always been a sucker for mythology and the history of other places.

“Thank you,” I said, firmer this time.

“Shall we get moving?” Ignis proposed. Noctis nodded. We approached the car, which was shining in the afternoon sun. While Cindy asked them to make a delivery for her, I was still locked in my own thoughts. I was forcing myself to think of anything other than home. So I wondered where I’d be sitting. The front would be nice, but I didn’t want to take that from someone who needed it more. That left the middle of the back. I sighed. Physical contact with other people really isn’t my thing. I treasure my personal space and touching people makes me uncomfortable. But… there wasn’t any other option.

“So, how we gonna do this?” Gladio voiced what I was thinking.

“The driver’s seat is yours, Noct,” Ignis said. He left it to Ignis. “You’ll be sitting in the back, then?”

“Yeah. You too, Gladio?”

“I need the leg room,” he answered.

“I don’t mind sitting in the back if ______ wants the front,” Prompto piped up. My need to please would not allow it.

“No, no, that’s okay!” I said hurriedly. “Won’t it get cramped?”

“Well, yeah, but-”

“Then I’ll sit wherever you need me to.”

“You sure?” Noctis asked. I nodded, much to my personal space’s chagrin. “Then… I guess we can see how it goes.”

We piled in. I was sandwiched between Noctis and Gladio, in that order. Prompto had shotgun. I suggested to him that we could always take turns. He happily agreed and off we went. Ignis made sure to tell me it was okay to ask questions if I had anymore. As I read through the beginning of Cid’s book, boy, did I.

“So you guys are polytheistic?” I asked.

“Yep,” Noct answered shortly. “You’re not?”

“Depends on the religion. My world’s got plenty. Most of the popular ones are monotheistic, though.”

“So you only worship one god?” Prompto asked, looking back at us.

“Some people do. Others worship multiple. Some don’t believe in a god altogether. Religion’s a really touchy subject where I’m from.”

“Huh. Weird,” Noct said.

I read about Solheim, an ancient civilization that had died out thousands of years ago. Some ruins of their structures dotted Lucis’ land, but not many had been fully explored. I wondered why but as I reached the War of the Astrals, I soon learned. It scared me a bit, to be honest.

This world was overrun by daemons at night. Not many were brave enough to traverse the land at that time and most of the Solheim ruins were dark and only opened at night. That didn’t stop some archaeologists, though. There were rumors of Niflheim delving into the ruins for unknown purposes over the last thirty years but they hadn’t put out any sort of big discovery concerning their history. That made me suspicious. Personally, I didn’t really have a stance on this whole war thing. I usually prefer to remain neutral, especially if I don’t have both sides of the story. Niflheim was no different, but their actions in these ruins were odd.

As the sun started going down, I reached the building of the kingdom of Lucis. Somnus Lucis Caelum was Noctis’ ancestor, a man who had worked with the first Oracle to purge the world of the Starscourge, some sort of disease that was running rampant at the time. But… There were a few holes I noticed in the story. The Oracle had been blessed with the power to heal the afflicted, but Somnus… The details on him were vague and kind of confusing. The author of the book stated that the primary sources from that time did not explicitly identify Somnus as the healer of Lucis. If anything, there were hardly any primary sources containing information on the healer. That led to more questions.

“So this healer of Lucis…” I began. “Who exactly was he? The book kind of separates him and Somnus. Are they the same person? Did they work together?”

“That has been speculated for hundreds of years,” Ignis answered. “Most have come to the conclusion that they were the same, but since not much information has been found regarding the subject, it has been dropped almost entirely and is often considered myth.”

“Oh, okay.”

We pulled into a rest stop. Nothing looked different from home. After the whole panic attack incident earlier, I had put myself into the mindset that this was an extended vacation with some new friends I had made. Of course, the reality was that I was ignoring the problem at hand and masking it. That is what I do best.

“Night is falling, Noct,” Ignis said. I marked my place in my book. So far this healer of Lucis and Solheim were my main interests. If I wasn’t careful, they’d become special interests. ...Oh, who am I kidding? I was totally going to let that happen.

“We’ll stay at the Motel then,” Noctis decided. I followed them to the concierge (who was in a booth outside for some reason). He was the one we were delivering to, anyway. As the quartet counted up their money - they didn’t take cards outside the Crown City - I observed my surroundings. The rest stop was small but efficient. A motel, a gas pump, a small shop, and a few other buildings made a sort of square. A few old cars were littered here and there and pairs of people made spots in the scene. “We only have enough for one room…”

“Spent the rest on potions?” Gladio asked. Potions?

“Yeah… Can’t be too careful, y’know?”

“Huh. Thinkin’ ahead for once.”

“What do you mean ‘for once’?”

“As we were saying,” Ignis cut in, turning to me, “we only have one room. Will that be alright?”

“Yeah, I don’t see why not,” I blurted out, my words choppy. These clothes were all I had. What was I going to do about pajamas? As for sharing a room with four guys… Eh, they seemed nice enough. They were certainly thoughtful.

“I’m sure we can find you a change of clothes nearby.”

“S- Sounds good.”

Dammit my stuttering was back.

 

Once the guys had settled in the room, Prompto joined me and Ignis to find some clothes. We wandered into a small shop with flickering lights and a dusty smell. There were racks of clothes making rows from the front to the back. The floor was tiled white, gray, and light gray, and the walls were a cream or white, it was hard to tell. At the back of the shop was the cash register and a display case for what I guessed was jewelry. Manning the register was a middle aged blonde woman whose hair reminded me of Prompto’s, oddly enough. She immediately noticed us, her head shooting up and a bright smile spreading over her face. She hurried to the front to greet us.

“Hello, hello!” she practically shouted. I flinched. Too loud. “Name’s Minnie. How can I help ya?”

“We were looking for a change of clothes or two for the lady,” Ignis said smoothly. One of my brows lifted and I gave him a glance.

“Lady?” I muttered.

Minnie took a moment appraise me. After an awkward moment of me avoiding eye contact, she nodded.

“Y’know, I have a scarf that would look lovely on you,” she said. “I know it’s scorching out, but really, it’d bring out those beautiful eyes.”

“U-um, o- okay,” I said with a small voice. I retreated into my hoodie. This woman was overwhelming already. Ignis gave me a sympathetic smile. Prompto seemed pretty cheery. Extroverts will be extroverts.

Minnie led us to the front, asking what style I usually wore. I gestured to my current outfit: jeans, T-shirt, zip hoodie. Simple and casual and very, very comfortable. I was not much of a fashion person. Her eyes narrowed.

“I see,” she said. “Well, that scarf will compliment anything. You know, about thirty years or so ago I had a rather eccentric man come in. Took most of my scarves, but I still have some of those lying around. Chose a rather… interesting looking shirt, a bit like a coffee filter but he made it look good, I must say.”

She giggled after that. Something told me she had tried to pick this guy up and failed.

“Rather charming… Anyway, why don’t you three have a look around while I go find that old thing…”

“Well, she seemed nice,” Prompto said after she left. “Wonder who that guy was.”

I began to search for my beloved T-shirts. There was a whole rack of them against the right wall. I had noticed my new friends all wore black, so maybe that and something blue or green. The shirts were organized by color so I sifted through the black ones first. Most of them had phrases and pictures I didn’t recognized, most likely pop culture references. But my eyes did like the look of one that had a black bird on it. It was like a chicken and a raven had a child.

“Is that a chocobo?” Prompto said behind me. I jumped. “Sorry.”

“S’okay. What’s a chocobo?”

He let out a very dramatic yet comical gasp. Ignis came hurrying over.

“You don’t have chocobos where you live?!” Prompto exclaimed. Ignis sighed. Not an alarm, he thought.

“Uh… No?” I answered, voice higher in pitch. “Is that what this is?”

“Chocobos used to be used for transport back in the day,” Ignis explained. “They’re usually yellow, but their feather can be dyed. However, sometimes chicks come out naturally black. A gene mutation, I would say.”

I hummed. Chocobos were used for travelling. Did they not have horses in this world? “Well, it’s cute.”

“Ooh, look, this one has a moogle!” Prompto said. He held up a blue shirt with an odd white creature with an pink antennae. “You should get this one, too! They’ll match!”

“A moogle?” That word sounded funny. “Alright. I like blue.”

I chose another shirt to wear for sleep. It was white with the phrase “I want to ride my chocobo all day” on it. Prompto started singing when he saw it so I figured, why not? I also found some jeans and gray pajama pants with an intricate black pattern on it. They were soft. Prompto and Ignis also did some browsing, but neither brought anything back to the counter where Minnie was now waiting.

“I see you found something,” she said cheerfully. As she rung up the clothes, she paused when she saw the pajama pants. “That man I mentioned before was wearing something like this, if I remember correctly, but it was on his coat. Don’t know why he sits in my mind so fresh; a bit odd but memorable, I suppose.”

I was starting to feel uncomfortable again. She lifted up a dark red scarf. The pattern was faint but beautiful: an array of leaves that twirled and twisted through the fabric. When I felt the cloth, it was so soft it was it might’ve been made with silk.

“What do you think?” she asked. For the first time in hours, I smiled. This scarf screamed familiarity, like I had known it for ages. I looked up hopefully at Ignis. Prompto tag teamed him with me and he caved.

“I don’t see why not,” he finally said. Prompto cheered and I clapped. Once the clothes were in the bag and we were out the door, I thanked them profusely. “It’s no trouble at all. We don’t know how long you’ll be with us, so it’s only natural that you’ll need more than one pair of clothes.”

“Still, you didn’t have to,” I said. “Thanks. Um, where exactly am I going to keep it?”

“Noct will keep it in his armiger. It’s no problem.”

“Armiger? Is that the magic thing?”

“It is. No doubt you read of the royal family’s abilities in your book?”

“A bit, but it’s one thing reading about it.”

“Agreed.” He pushed his glasses up. I did the same. Prompto bounded up to my side.

“So, you’ve got a phone, right?” he asked. “We should all exchange numbers!”

“Okay,” I said amicably. They really were the nicest guys. Once we reached the motel room, where Gladio and Noctis were waiting, we did just that. I gained four new numbers, and almost cried at the names in my contact list. Hopefully I could return home someday. But for now, I needed to distract myself and push those feelings down.

“Think we should show her King’s Knight?” Gladio suggested.

“Hell yes!” Prompto punched the air. “You’re gonna love it!”

“...King’s… Knight?” I stretched out. “Is that a game?”

“Only the greatest mobile app to sweep the generation,” Noctis advertised. “But… no telling if you’ll actually be able to download it.”

I swiftly connected to the Wi-Fi. My phone was compatible with that, at least. The Astrals or whatever they were called definitely picked the right world or universe from which to kidnap someone. All the base apps I had (music app and app app were the only ones I really paid attention to) had somehow adapted accordingly. I wasn’t sure if that was the influence of their gods or not. Either way, the boys showed me the magic of King’s Knight that night. Or should I say “knight”?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeeaaahhh... Iffy.  
> Anyway, tell me whatcha think.  
> Should I go ahead and post chapter 4? I got so excited writing it. Lemme know.


	4. He Gave Them The Heebie Jeebies. He Had Nothing Else To Give. Except An Oracle Ascension Coin.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Galdin Quay surprises Dearest Reader in multiple ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Just put a feather duster in a coffee filter.  
> Boom  
> You've got Ardyn"  
> -Pippiuscattius, giving me the best mental image
> 
> -I didn't proof read this one-

I had insisted on sleeping on that couch that night. There were only two beds and I was used to lounging on a couch after school anyway. Even though it was summer vacation when I had suddenly appeared here, the sofa was always my friend.

I was awake longer than the other four. Once dinner had been eaten and the lights had gone out, I just stared into the darkness. My thoughts drifted to a conversation that happened not long before.

“So how old are you?” Prompto had asked.

“Turned twenty about a month ago,” I said. I learned Noct and Prompto were the same age. Gladio and Ignis were a little older.

That had got me thinking about the small birthday party I’d had and my family and friends. Would I ever see them again? This whole “other world” thing had me so confused. I still kept the mindset of it being an extended vacation, but that wouldn’t work for much longer. The longer I stayed here, the more I realized just how different this place really was. The currency, the Astrals, the countries, the history, they were all things I didn’t recognize and that drew me back down to Earth - er, Eos.

I unlocked my phone. My thumb hovered over the Messages app for a second before tapping it. I went to the conversation between me and my mother. I typed out a quick “hey” and sent it before I chickened out.

The message never went through. A few tears escaped me, but I let my throat go dry so I wouldn’t sob and wake the others. I turned to face the back of the couch. The Crown City might be miles away, but insomnia was with me that night.

A cute little tune woke me from uneven sleep. I had never been one to sleep without waking up a million times, but last night was awful. A couple of the boys snored (I had a hunch Gladio was the loudest), and my emotions were a changing whirlwind that liked to keep me up. I tugged the blanket up further around me and snuggled into it.

Gladio and Ignis gave sleepy greetings to each other. I heard someone else get up not long after. Prompto’s voice came from them as he knocked on the bathroom door. Someone was taking a shower in there.

“Gonna be awhile?” he asked. Gladio answered that he was almost done. I drifted into dozing. I heard Prompto sit down. “How long you wanna bet it will take Noct to wake up?”

“Hopefully before noon,” Ignis said. “Although it seems ______ might give him a run for his money.”

I could feel their eyes on me. I started a small daydream to get me back to sleep. That man Minnie had talked about before was in it. He had intrigued me.

“You think she’ll be okay?” Prompto asked, lowering his tone.

“No telling. She seems alright after her episode, but that’s easily a mask. I have a feeling she’s doing her best to distract herself. Honestly, I don’t blame her.”

“I feel really bad for her. I’d hate to wake up in a random world I’d never heard of before.”

“Same here. That is why we should do everything we can to help make her comfortable. Hopefully Lady Lunafreya will be able to help.”

“Yeah, that’d be really nice. I can’t believe she’s marrying Noct…”

The lump in my throat had returned. I don’t think anyone had ever been so nice to me before. It was too good to be true. Was everyone in this world as nice as them? Surely they all had their bad sides. But we had just become friends. No need to rush things, I told myself. I forced the tears away.

_Bury them, I thought. If you ignore it, it will go away._

_You don’t deserve their help._

_Shut up._

_They’re better off without you._

_They’ve gone out of their way to make sure I know it’s no problem._

_They’re lying._

_Shut up!_

_They’re just trying to get rid of you quickly._

_I said shut up!!_

The bathroom door opened. I could smell the steam from the shower. One of my cheeks felt wet. Damn. Guess I’ll die.

“Prince still asleep?” Gladio’s rough voice came from the open door.

“The lady as well,” Ignis stated.

“Two sleeping beauties. Want me to wake ‘em up?”

“You take Noct. I think _____ will need a gentler approach.”

I heard the bathroom door close as Prompto went in and footsteps coming towards me. The shuffle of fabric sounded from Ignis crouching down to inspect me.

“Oh, drat,” he muttered.

“What?” Gladio asked from the other side of the room.

“She’s been crying.”

“What, again?”

“It’s hardly her fault.”

“I know, but… Wish there was more we could do.”

“Unfortunately, this is all we _can_ do at the moment.”

A hand was on my shoulder and I was shaken softly. I let out a small groan and pulled the blanket up.

“Time to wake up.”

I heard sheets being torn from a bed.

“What the hell?” came Noct’s raspy morning voice.

“Rise and shine, princess,” said Gladio’s.

“Time is it…?”

“9:30. Now come on, we got places to be. Don’t wanna leave your bride waiting, do ya?”

_“Definitely_ too early,” I muttered. Noctis agreed with me from the bed. Ignis tried shaking me again. I pulled the blanket over my head.

“Come now, even Noct is up,” said Ignis.

“That’s his problem…”

Ignis laughed quietly.

“Hey, if I have to be up, you have to be up,” Noctis protested sleepily.

“Not my fault I’m not a morning person,” I told him.

“Move over, Specs, I’ll get her up.”

“Now, Noct, I’m not sure that’s a-” Ignis started. The air was suddenly freezing as my blanket was ripped from me. I shot up and grabbed at it.

“No-!” I cried. “It’s cold!”

“Suffer with me!” Noctis demanded, pulling the blanket.

“Careful, you’ll tear it.” Ignis’ words went ignored.

“I already am suffering!” I whined. Noct paused, unsure how to respond. Just as I gave a final tug, Gladio swooped in and confiscated the blanket.

“That’s enough, you two,” he said. “You’re fighting like siblings.”

I slouched in defeat. Noct pouted a little.

“They’re both picky eaters and like to sleep in,” Ignis observed. “They might as well be.”

I glared at Noctis and he glared back. I put my glasses back on to further my point. He relented and looked away. Prompto came out of the bathroom.

“Everything okay out here?” he asked.

“Serving justice,” Noctis said. I kept glaring at him.

“Uh, okay.”

Ignis got my attention and let me have the bathroom to change. I walked out to find the others ready to go. We left the motel and found a nice place for breakfast. I didn’t eat much - breakfast isn’t really my thing unless there are pancakes or biscuits - and by the time we were finished, it was almost midday.

When we reached the car, a bark rang out and a black dog came trotting up to Noctis. The brown stripe on its muzzle and its eyebrows made it look angry but it seemed nice enough. I noticed there was a sort of harness around it. Where was its owner?

“Umbra!” Noctis gasped.

“Bringin’ us stuff,” Prompto said. “Atta boy!”

“That dog can really track a scent,” Gladio said.

“Certainly ‘nose’ how to find us,” Ignis joked subtly. I laughed.

“Hope he didn’t have a ‘ruff’ time,” I shot back. I received a smile from them. “C-Can- Can I pet him?”

“Sure,” Noct said, taking something from the harness. It was a notebook. I crouched down with him and let Umbra sniff my hand. He seemed to perk up and snorted at me. I gave him a few pets. His fur was quite soft.

As Noct wrote something in the notebook and placed something inside it, Ignis explained to me that Umbra was one of Lady Lunafreya’s two dogs. Umbra delivered this notebook back and forth and Pryna, a white dog, stayed by her side.

“I know,” Prompto whined. “You’re not gonna tell me.”

“Then don’t ask,” Noct said sternly.

“What was that about?”

Noct sighed, frustrated.

“You don’t say.”

Prompto and I had forgotten our deal and I sat between Noct and Gladio again. I continued reading the history book Cid had gotten me, but it was getting a bit boring now that stability had been reached in Lucis. I closed the book and looked at the landscape around me. The desert setting was giving way to green grass and tall trees.

As we drove on, they turned on the radio to listen to the Oracle give a short speech. She promised that her marriage would not get in the way of her calling and that she would continue to bless everyone. She certainly seemed like a good person, kind and compassionate. I was glad I was going to see her. Surely she could help me. The radio announcer stated that her duties as Oracle would be suspended during that time. Prompto questioned it being in the treaty. I listened, intrigued.

“Of course,” Ignis confirmed. “A simple formality.”

“One of those ‘symbol of the peace’ deals,” Gladio added.

“So it’s more like a… marriage of convenience,” Prompto said.

“Her Ladyship seems nevertheless amenable to the prospect,” said Ignis.

“And Noct here likes the idea,” Gladio teased. The Prince gave an exasperated sigh. I smiled.

“What’s that?” Prompto asked. “‘I do?’”

“Buzz off,” Noct said. I giggled.

“I ship it,” I said softly.

“Come on, you too?”

“Aha! He admits it!” Prom said.

“How is that admitting it?”

“You’re not denying it.”

“I said, buzz off.”

We turned a corner and drove under a natural rocky arch. I saw Prompto snap a picture. The previous evening, he had shown everyone the pictures he had taken. There were a few with me in it. I was a bit embarrassed, but otherwise didn’t mind too much.

We turned onto a road to our left and the glistening ocean was in view.

“I see the sea!”

“I ‘sea’ it, too!” Noct and I said simultaneously. We high-fived. I may have only known these guys for a day, but I was already feeling comfortable, and that’s saying something. I’m already a quiet person, but with strangers I’m even quieter. But these four? They felt like long lost family I’d never even knew I had. Is that weird? I really hoped it wasn’t.

“That’s Galdin Quay,” Ignis said. So _that_ was where my dream had taken place.

“Kinda want to go for a dip,” Gladio voiced.

“That a big mountain behind it?” Noctis asked. I looked and my heart almost left my chest.

“That’s the island from my dream!” I exclaimed. Three heads turned toward me, and Ignis glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “The angel wings island.”

“Angel wings?”

“There was… I can’t…”

As I tried to remember, my head started pounding. It was like a prisoner trying to escape from inside my skull. Why did that island bring out such a bad feeling? I clutched at my temples.

“Everything alright?” Gladio asked.

“I can’t… I can’t remember,” I managed to get out. “It hurts to think about.”

“That is alarming,” Ignis mumbled. “Is it only when you try to remember?”

“Y-yeah… I’ll try later.”

“Don’t strain yourself.”

“Nobody goes to Galdin for an island, though,” Prompto cut in, thankfully saving me from more bad thoughts. “They go to kick back, and get massages.”

“And savor the seafood,” Ignis added. I wrinkled my nose. I had never liked seafood. Except fish sticks when I was really little. Those I used to like. “It’s famously delicious.”

“Sounds great,” Noctis said. We pulled into the parking lot. Surprisingly, there weren’t many cars. We got a good spot in a shaded area. “Nice.”

I was so glad I was no longer pressed against two guys in black in a hot car on a hot day. Sure, it was a convertible, but the wind can only do much. I stretched my arms up and out. A sea breeze lazily blew by, spreading the scent of salt water and sand. Yep. Beach.

We made our way to the boardwalk. My heart was fluttering in my chest now that I was so near the island. I toyed with the thought of asking someone about it. My anxiety said no, but my curiosity said yes. Maybe Ignis could help.

As we made our way to the little pier-slash-beach-resort, I took in the bright blue water and palm trees that were in the middle of the ocean for some reason. Another difference for this world. The sky above was dashed with white cloud. The air still smelled of salt and sand. I thought of a friend back home who adored the ocean and all its eccentricities. She would have loved this. Having reached the resort, I slowed down, wondering if I should take pictures of this place or not. I whipped out my phone and did so. No way was I passing up on evidence of being in another universe.

I made sure to get extras of the island. I decided to call it the Angel’s Island because of the wings.

“Welcome to Galdin Quay!” 

I jerked around to see an employee greeting me. The others were up ahead. Oops. Gotta go fast and catch up.

“U-um, thanks,” I told the greeter awkwardly. I sped up, near power walking. In my hurry, I didn’t realize my friends were talking to someone. “Sorry I was lagging behind-”

“-ready to turn shi-”

I bumped into someone. I stumbled back as the person attempted to steady me.

“I-I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-” I paused as I looked at the stranger. It was like my soul had started singing. I had never felt this nervous around any one person before. My breath went shallow and I could feel myself shaking. My heart was pounding, fluttering like a caged bird longing to be set free. I was being pulled.

I was staring into gorgeous golden eyes. An odd mix of red and purple ruggedly framed these eyes as well as a perfectly edged jawline and beautiful lips. Whoever this man was that my heart was almost literally pulling me towards, he was a whole other definition of handsome. What felt like ages passed as I stared. He said nothing, but his expression went from an open mouth ready to apologize to brows furrowed, puzzled.

Gladio broke the moment.

“You okay?” he asked. Almost painfully, I tore my eyes away.

“Uh, y-yeah,” I croaked, voice shaky. I stepped to the side and addressed the stranger. “S-sorry.”

“The fault is all mine, my dear,” came a voice that caused my foot to stumble. Gladio pulled me behind him. The odd man shook himself slightly, recovering from whatever that had been. “As I was saying, the ceasefire’s getting us nowhere.”

He took another step forward. Then he swiftly turned around as something left his hand. Gladio caught it. It was a coin of some sort. My curiosity, which had been at a solid 60, jumped to 80.

“What is this?” he asked suspiciously. “Some sort of souvenir?”

“Consider it your allowance,” said Handsome Stranger.

“Oh yeah?” Gladio was now in full Shield mode. “And who’s ‘allowing’ us?”

Handsome Stranger spread his arms wide, walking backward.

“A man of no consequence,” he stated matter-of-factly. He gave me one last glance before turning back around. We watched as he left.

But my heart wouldn’t let him. It was tugging and tugging. I fought it but I couldn’t just let this guy get away. My very soul screamed at me to run towards him - so that’s exactly what I did.

“Hey!” I shouted, forgetting my friends for a second. Handsome Stranger had already reached a fourth of the pier. I stumbled down the few steps. “Wait!”

He stopped to wait, facing me. It was at this moment I realized he was wearing a scarf that looked like a clone of the one Minnie gave me. Was this the man she had told us about?

I don’t like running but I didn’t care if I was out of breath. There was a connection here. Did he feel it too?

“Did you need something?” he asked. He seemed apprehensive. I huffed for a second, catching my breath.

“Uh… I…” Shit, I didn’t have an excuse. Think, think, think, think, think. “Um… What was… What was that thing you threw at my friend?”

“Your _friend?”_ He looked skeptical of that claim. I nodded. His hand went for one of his pockets. He fiddled around for a minute. “‘Twas an Oracle Ascension coin.”

“...Oracle?”

His eyebrows raised in surprise. Again, we remained staring at each other.

………

………

……...

“Oh! Oracle,” I realized. “Um… Lunafreya, right? Nice name.”

“...Yes, that is she,” Handsome Stranger answered. “Are you feeling alright, my dear? Perhaps the heat is too much for you.”

“Y-yeah, I’m- I’m f-f-f- I’m f-f-fine,” I squeaked. Right here. This was where I was meant to be. My cheeks were flushed now. This man’s gaze was intense and I was a deer in the headlights. Did he feel the same? He sure was attractive. Gosh, I’m making a fool of myself.

He chuckled softly. My whole body was probably red by now. That had to be the hottest laugh I’d ever heard. He pulled another coin out of his pocket and held it out.

“I’m afraid this is my last one,” he said.

“Th-that’s okay,” I quickly replied. “Y-you can keep it. I was just wondering what it was you don’t have to give that- I mean, not that I was expecting you to- I mean- gosh- uh- um.”

He took my hand and placed the coin in my palm. Then he curled my fingers around it. I just stared once more.

“Do take good care of it,” he said. He began to pull away.

“Wait, I- I never-” I sighed, frustrated with myself. “I- What’s your name?”

He merely smirked and left.

As I watched him retreat, a hand came to rest on my shoulder. I looked back to see Ignis also watching Handsome Stranger. His eyes then flicked to me.

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” he asked. I sighed again and nodded.

“I don’t- I don’t know, I just- Ugh…”

My shoulders slumped and my head faced the ground. Er, floor boards.

“I don’t even know who that was. I just couldn’t let him leave.”

I unfurled my fist to see the Ascension coin. It was special, I decided. His last one. I slipped it into my pocket.

“I’m sorry. I’m a mess today.”

Ignis led me back to the others. “It’s alright. We all have those days.”

As I walked across the resort, there was one thing I knew for certain: I was definitely going to see that man again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My heart was fluttering as I wrote this >w<  
> Has anyone seen the FFXV Abridged series on YouTube? It's _hilarious._ I recommend it to everyone.  
> And did anyone else notice in the Episode Ardyn Prologue trailer that Ardyn's hair was _black?_ I mean, I know he and Noct are related so it makes sense, but personally I prefer his gorgeous wine colored hair. Maybe the Scourge or the Crystal turned it red when he touched it or something, like his Armiger. Guess we'll find out soon enough.  
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!


	5. Spem habeo, sed meae cogitationes desperationem adducunt.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader starts to give back to the others for helping her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm definitely not going to act like I know Latin that well. I'm only in my second semester of it. The title of this chapter is supposed to be "I have hope, but my thoughts bring despair." If anyone knows a better way to say it, please let me know and I shall change it.

"So, you gonna tell us what that was all about?” Gladio asked once Ignis and I had returned.

“You know that guy?” Noctis asked. I shook my head.

“I just… felt compelled to run after him for some reason,” I tried to explain. It sounded ridiculous, but what else could I say? That I felt like something was missing now that he was gone?

“Well if we meet him again,” Gladio said, “play hard to get. Then creeps like him will know you’re serious.”

“Wha- huh?” I blushed furiously. “What- What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Dude, you two stared at each other for like a whole minute,” Prompto told me. “Not hard to miss.”

“Yeah…” Noctis cut in. “Not sure how to feel about that. We should just stay away from him.”

“I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of him,” Ignis said. We began walking to dock to make sure there weren’t any boats.

“How am I supposed to play hard to get if I’m already hard to want…” I muttered.

“Ah, come on, there’s someone out there for everyone!” Prompto gave me a playful nudge. “And you’re one of us now. If you need a wingman, just say the word.”

Face feeling much too hot again, I nodded, embarrassed.

 _Am I really… one of them?_ I asked myself. _Already? Are they_ that _nice?_

Galdin Quay was a fancy place. The whole air about it was a luxurious tropical feeling. The straw roof felt authentic and planted island foliage gave off a sweet scent that mixed with the ocean breeze. We passed by a nice looking restaurant. I wondered if they’d have food I’ll actually eat. The smell of fish drifted away and salt took its place as we descended down some stairs at the back of the pier.

I looked out at the Angel’s Island. It looked majestic yet intimidating in the distance. I really needed to find someone or something to tell me about it. The suspense would kill me if I didn’t find out.

“Aw, man.” Prompto’s voice snapped the tracks of my train of thought. “Not a ship in sight. What gives?”

The small strip of wood they called a dock was really underwhelming. I had seen small squares bigger than this. Color me unimpressed.

We made to head back upstairs but another odd looking guy cut us off. Unlike the first man, this one gave me bad vibes. My instincts screamed “how bout no?”

“According to my sources,” said a guy whose hair reminded me of Ignis. I nearly snorted at his accent. Was it Brooklyn? If he said anything remotely stereotypical, I would have to vacate the premises. Or maybe not. Maybe I shouldn’t think things like that. “The empire, giving strict orders not to let any vessels leave the docks of Altissia.”

 _Fuck,_ I thought. _One more thing keeping me from this Lunafreya person._

“Real shame if you were late to your wedding - right, Prince Noctis? Name’s Dino, by the way. Pleasure.”

Yep, I really didn’t like this guy. I wasn’t sure if we were supposed to remain incognito about Noctis but the way this guy spoke said, yes, we were, and someone had had blown our cover. Or - Noctis’ cover, at least. But - shouldn’t people know what he looks like anyway?

Dino went on to criticize my new friends’ bounty-hunting escapades. I wanted to tell him to mind his own business, but I kept my mouth shut, unlike him. Then he mentioned he was a reporter. I knew there was something I didn’t like about him. He said he integrity and would meep the secret - in exchange for a favor.

 _How is that integrity?_ I felt my eye twitch in annoyance. Everything about this “Dino” made me want to tell him off. But my shyness and anxiety said no, bad idea.

“All you gotta do is find me some rough gemstones,” Dino went on. A reported who’s also a jeweler? That sounded more ridiculous than me running after a guy I didn’t know. It was just the way he carried himself. I could feel another headache coming on, and not from my missing memories.

As we went back out to the car, I realized they were actually doing this. Seriously? I suppose they didn’t really have a choice. But at the time, Dino was still on my nerves.

“You okay?” Gladio asked. I didn’t notice how tense I was.

“I don’t like that guy,” I spoke bluntly.

“Yeah, me neither.”

Ignis said that we best not make him our enemy.

In the parking, I dedicated my short walk to the car observing my surroundings and hoping for a glimpse of wine colored hair. Fuck, I was already smitten. Lord, take me now.

We piled in the car and I pulled out my headphones. Music was always good for calming down. The sweet sounds of Coldplay never failed to lift my spirits. With one last glance at Angel’s Island, we were off.

 

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but when Ignis pulled over in the middle of nowhere, I thought we had broken down again.

“Uh, where are we?” I asked uneasily.

“This is the place Dino marked on the map,” Ignis answered.

“So he just… somehow knew where some random gems are hanging out?”

“It would seem so, yes.”

_Seeing the Oracle is getting to be a real hassle._

Noctis led us up over the mountains. Every so often some pointy looking dogs would come out and attack. At first, I hid and watched but then I realized none of them seemed to target me, so I began waiting on the side. I felt utterly useless.

_You are useless._

_Not helping._

Finally, after hours of walking and climbing that left me more winded than an orchestra, we made it to relatively even ground. However… the humongous bird we had seen before was nesting right in front of us. I had never seen an animal that large. Prompto took the words right out of my mouth.

“Oh em gee,” he somewhat whispered. His voice was higher than usual. “We supposed to get _near_ that thing?”

“Pipe down before you wake it up,” Gladio scolded. Good thing I was good at being quiet.

“Do you guys want me to get it?” I asked. They looked at me like I’d grown another head. “I’m smaller and much quieter.”

“A fair point…” Ignis began.

“...But not happening,” Noctis stated. I slowed my breathing down and remained silent to prove my point. I was useless before, but not now. Maybe my years of submissive silence in response to negative social interactions would finally come in handy. “I know what you’re trying to do. You’re not going alone.”

“I don’t know,” Gladio said. “Let the girl prove herself.”

“The hell? You can’t be serious.”

“Maybe not, but she is.”

At this point I was sizing the bird up. It was enormous and at least the size of a whale. It was sleeping deeply, though, and at home I was very good at sneaking around. My house’s floorboards were squeaky and I learned where to step so as not to alert my parents I was up later than I should be. Midnight snacks are soul food.

“Besides, all five of us would just make more noise,” I whispered. “I’m expendable.”

“The hell you are-” Noctis protested, but Ignis stopped him.

“You’re not expendable,” he said. “None of us are. Noct, why don’t we let Gladio go with her?”

“I…”

War was going on inside his head. I later found out they felt responsible for me seeing as they had found me. Little did I know at the time that a family of four had just adopted me.

“Ugh, fine, but if you’re not back in fifteen minutes, we’re coming over,” Noct decided. I smiled. Gladio nodded.

“Lead the way,” he said. I slipped my jacket and handed it to Prompto. The jinging of the zipping made me nervous.

“Guard this with your life,” I told him. My jacket has always been my security blanket. I only ever take it off in extreme circumstances, like this one.

Arms shaking and feet light, I slowly stepped out from under the natural rocky arch we had been under. I didn’t bother crouching like the others. I wouldn’t need to if I stayed quiet. Besides, keeping myself upright would take more focus than on stealth.

Step by creeping step, I made my way out of the shadows. The only sound was the wind and the soft crunching of grass whenever Gladio and I took a step. I forced myself to control my breathing as we neared the bird’s beak. The beak had _teeth. Teeth._ I bit my lip. Just keep moving.

As Gladio kept an eye on the Roc, I focused on the ground and placing steps where there wouldn’t be much sound. I stepped over bunches of weeds and longer grass strands. My feet skirted around stones in the ground. The bird’s small snores overpowered the grass being squished beneath our feet.

Then it ruffled its feathers. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I stopped. I could practically the others worry increase. I was halfway there. The alcove of rocks was almost within reach. I saw the creature’s tail lying behind it. That could pose a problem if it moved. Once the bird was settled, we kept going and going and going and-

I let out a sigh. I was being helpful and was _not_ fucking things up. Gladio picked a few stones and pocketed them. He nodded for me to lead the way back. We snuck back around. The bird startled a few times, but never woke. The arch and our friends were in sight.

Right as I stepped back into the shade, a huge gust of wind nearly swept me off my feet. Gladio pulled me back and we cowered near the ground as the bird spread all six of its dark wings and-

Just fucking left. It just left. It flew away and never came back. I straightened myself out and let the longest sigh. My heart was racing. My palms were sweating. I hadn’t even realized.

“Off it goes,” Ignis said. He and the other two came out and we all watched it fly away into a cliche but fitting sunset.

“How are you so damn _quiet?”_ Noctis asked. “The _bird_ was louder than you.”

“I have no idea,” I said, slightly laughing at the thought that _I was still alive._ “I’m never doing that again.”

“Hopefully you won’t have to,” Gladio said, patting me on the back. “But you did good.”

I smiled, happy I had finally done something to repay their kindness. It was the least I could do, I felt. Prompto handed me my jacket and I put it back on and snuggled into it. A few more congratulations and praises went around - I had a feeling they were trying to make me feel more welcome and comfortable. It was…nice.

“Noct, night is falling,” Ignis said. We all hurried back to the car. It was much shorter trip than the way up. Ignis drove a little ways and stopped again. In the distance was another blue runed mound. We made our way up there. This was where we made camp. I didn’t know how to feel about that. I used to like camping but as I grew older, the outdoors were just not for me. But the guys were sweet and had gotten me a sleeping bag when I wasn’t looking.

Once the campfire was started, Ignis began preparing dinner. I looked around. No one was getting up to help him. I sat for a moment. I felt like I should help. The more useful I was, the better I would feel, but thing is, I have little to no cooking experience. I can bake pretty well, but that’s it. Yet… Ignis seemed kinda lonely over there. Prompto and Noctis were playing around with the former’s camera. Gladio had just finished with the tent and was sitting, watching them.

Heart fluttering, I approached the chef.

“Um,” I hummed quietly, unsure of what to say. His head turned toward me. “I um, don’t have much- much experience- but… do you any help?”

_Real smooth._

Ignis smiled. “I could always use an extra pair of hands.”

I wasn’t really sure what we were making, but I was cutting vegetables as carefully as I could. Something was cooking on the campsite grill and after a little while, the scent of steak filled my nose. Oh, yes. Steak has always been one of my favorite foods.

“How are you getting on?” Ignis asked.

“Umm.” I thought for a moment. “Okay, I guess. This place doesn’t feel much different from home.”

“But…?”

“The more I think about it, I just kinda realize it is.”

I could see him nod in the corner of my eye. I finished chopping a carrot (yeugh) and began on another. My voice quieted to a mutter.

“Once I get used to something, something else comes around and says ‘how ‘bout no’, like that bird.”

“In our defense, our birds aren’t usually that large.”

I shrugged. I would accept it with time.

“But still… Are you sure you’re alright? I believe I speak for us all when I say that the stunt you pulled earlier was concerning. You don’t seem the reckless type.”

“I like to say I’m cautiously reckless, if that makes sense.”

“Can’t say I’ve heard the term before, but yes.”

A few minutes passed by. The other three were chattering behind us. I think they were playing King’s Knight. I didn’t know how they were getting any signal. I glanced over my shoulder to see. I misjudged where I was placing my hand. A sharp pain stung my thumb. I let out a pained squeak, and looked to see red welling out of a small cut. I quickly put the knife down. There were no napkins or paper towels in sight. I began to panic. Finger/hand injuries had always disturbed me greatly.

“Ah…” I hissed. I tried to wipe the blood away. It hurt so much to touch.

“Here,” Ignis said. He handed me a small white cloth. So he had tissues. Good to know.

“Sorry…”

His brows furrowed. “Whatever for?”

Another pained gasp left me as I gently dabbed the wound. “Um…” There was no blood on the cutting board. Ignis was wiping the knife off, so no harm done there. “I… don’t know.”

_Dammit why do you have to worry them with your stupid issues?_

“Then there’s nothing to apologize for.”

“I guess not.”

“Noct, do we have a spare potion?”

“What? Why?” the Prince asked. “Cut yourself?”

“I did,” I announced with a small voice. Footsteps approached. A small teal container entered my field of vision. I blinked at it.

“Take it,” Noctis said.

“What is it?”

“A potion. You crush it.”

I set the tissue down and took the… potion? It looked like someone had taken a water bottle and rounded out the bottom. It didn’t seem crushable either. I hesitantly put more pressure into my grip.

“You gotta try harder than that.”

“Won’t I break it?”

“Well, yeah, that’s the point.”

“Oh. Okay. So…”

My mind went “fuck it” and I crushed the small water bottle potion. It exploded in a burst if blue particles and the cut on my thumb closed up, leaving no mark behind.

“That’s _so cool.”_

Ignis and Noctis looked amused. When I asked it worked, Noct looked stumped as if he didn’t use magic on a daily basis. Ignis didn’t really know either, but tried his best to provide theories. I also learned there were Hi-Potions and Elixirs and Hi-Elixirs. I would get to see them later, but they looked the same except for the colors.

Soon after that, dinner was served. Noctis and I picked at the veggies. I did my my best to down some so as to make sure I looked grateful. Ignis had to coax the prince into eating his. The steak was amazing, though. It was perfectly cooked and the chef seemed proud that it was being enjoyed.

Prompto showed us the pictures he had taken that day. He had gotten a couple good ones of the giant bird. One featured me and Gladio sneaking around it. A few of the boys fighting caught my attention. How had Prompto had the time to take those? Then there was a cozy, firelit photo of Ignis and I making dinner and my amazed face at the potion’s healing qualities.

My place in the tent was hard to determine. It was rather small, already a tight fit for the four before me. I opted to sleep wherever I wouldn’t get in the way. The day had been rather tiring, so most of us were ready to turn in early. I felt lucky to have the blanket from that morning. It was comforting and warm.

It was difficult to fall asleep. Gladio was snoring up a storm. My thoughts wouldn’t quiet down. It felt hard to breathe. My anxieties were catching up to me and before I knew it, my body was crawling out of the tent. The campfire was just embers now. There wasn’t much need to watch it as our whole camp was set on a mound of stone. I made my way to the edge of it and sat down, legs crossed.

The open sky was a welcome sight. But what was bothering was lack of the Milky Way in an untainted view. Stars were numerous and in no way countable. There wasn't any way to tell where in the universe this planet was located. Clearly it was far, far from Earth or NASA or some space agency would’ve found it already.

Unrecognizable constellations littered the empty expanse of black. Try as I might, there was no recreating the Big Dipper or Orion’s Belt. My eyes searched every corner I could. A lump caught in my throat, but I forced it down. This was supposed to be comforting. Space had always made me feel better.

A soft breeze blew by, rustling the grass around the Oracle Runes. A hand traced the blue markings, knowing it had been here for hundreds of years. That was a nice thought. These runes were here keep people safe. Off in the distance was a bright red flame. A daemon, probably. There were all sorts. Maybe I’d be able to find a book or something about them.

The rocky scent of the wilderness and weak smell of embers filled the air. It had been so long since I’d actually been camping. I still couldn’t say I liked it, but it was all we had. Complaining wasn’t something I felt I should do. There wasn’t any other place we could go and I was lucky to have found the only four people on this world that were willing to help me.

If only I’d had a telescope. Maybe I could’ve attempted and failed to map out the stars. How many were actually stars? Were there any other planets nearby? Satellites? Nebulae? I knew deep in my heart that nothing was coming to find me. Well, nothing except-

“Hey.” A voice startled me out of my thoughts. Someone eased themself down beside me. I glanced over to see Noctis yawning. “You know what time it is…?”

I shook my head. It didn’t really matter to me at that moment.

“What’re you doing out here?”

“Stargazing,” I answered quietly, pulling my blanket closer. “Couldn’t sleep.”

“Gladio too loud for ya?”

“...A bit. My thoughts are louder.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

A comfortable silence settled over us. I could head Noctis scratching at the ground. My gaze went out to the moving darkness in front. More daemons, I guessed. I looked back up to the sky.

“Hey, Noctis…?” I asked softly. My voice was almost carried away by the wind.

“Yeah?”

“What kind of constellations do you have?”

“Constellations? Uh…”

His eyes turned towards the heavens as well. After a few moments, I learned of the handful he knew about. The pattern of Leviathan could be seen that night. Shiva, too. We could also see half of Ramuh and a small bunch of stars that represented the crystal.

“So there’s a crystal and a ring?” I asked. “Is the ring a good thing or is it a symbol of temptation that will lead to the inevitable downfall of Sauron?”

“Uh, what?” He sounded so confused. I laughed.

“There’s a small series of books where I’m from called ‘Lord of the Rings.’ Never go to war over jewelry. Or gems. That never ends well.”

“Oh. Wish the Empire knew that...”

“Empires fall. Can’t say when, but they all do.”

“That from personal experience?”

“Not really. But Earth has had more than its fair share of wars and empires. History repeats itself, you know.”

“Wish it didn’t. I’d hate for anyone in the future to have to go through this too.”

“So do all who live to see such times. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. Gandalf, Lord of the Rings.”

“You really are a nerd, huh.”

“So are you and your friends.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yaaay another update! I have most of this story planned out, including the ending (and two alternate endings and an AU), so THAT means my motivation will keep going until this thing ends because usually once I imagine the ending, my motivation to actually write the thing out disappears. So this story is a SUPER special case.  
> Next is the downfall of Insomnia, so we have that to look forward too.  
> Hope you guys enjoyed it!


	6. Mea desperatio quō amicōrum vincitur.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A tragedy befalls the boys and Dearest Reader discovers something odd about herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title means: “My despair is conquered by that of my friends.”
> 
> Also I got that “tell him where he can  
> stick his grapes” from a cute comic I found.

I was awoken that morning by the voices of Gladiolus and Noctis. They were arguing about something. I wasn’t sure what it was about, but it wasn’t an all out shouting match. I was the only one left in the tent so I assumed breakfast was being made. That meant I could sleep a bit longer.

Just as I had snuggled into my blanket, I heard Noctis give a command to Prompto.

“Prom, tell him where he can stick his grapes,” said the prince. There was a pause.

“Um, in the fridge?” came Prompto’s innocent voice.

“Prom, no-”

The argument was dissolved as a girl’s laughter broke the air. They all looked to the tent. I was much too tired and waking up to such an exchange was much too amusing. I was curled into myself, shaking from laughing so hard. Of all the things I could wake up to, it was _that._

They were chattering amicably once more as I dragged myself out of the tent. My hair was a mess from tossing and turning all night. My faded turquoise blanket was wrapped around me. I felt and probably looked like a bog witch.

“Good morning,” Ignis greeted. I groaned and shielded my eyes from the harsh sunlight. The smell of bacon wafted through the air. “Sleep well? Noct told me you were up late.”

I glanced at the prince. He shrugged and said, “Not even the alarm would wake you up.”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “Ground’s uncomfortable, though.”

“Better for your back,” Gladio said.

“Not mine. I’m hypersensitive. This blanket is warm, though.”

I sat down with them in one of the chairs. I listened to as they talked about nothing. After breakfast, we made our way back to the car and were soon in Galdin Quay again.

It was almost noon when we arrived. The sun was heating up the land and my jacket was becoming uncomfortable. I contemplated taking it off. It wasn’t hot enough yet. I still needed it to keep the anxiety from getting worse.

As we neared the resort, I spotted a familiar face.

“Cat!” I exclaimed. I rushed forward to pet a small white kitty. She seemed sweet and sniffed my hand. Then she rubbed against it, welcoming me. I sat down on the pier, legs crossed. The cat sniffed my legs and slowly climbed into my lap. My heart felt so light. _I had been chosen._ This was the best part of my stay, hands down.

Noctis crouched down beside me, smiling softly.

“Hey, buddy,” he cooed. “Takin’ a little stroll?”

The cat meowed at him. I aww’d and scratched behind her ears.

“Makin’ new friends? How come you’re all alone?”

She mewed again. What a friendly feline! She was purring now. My hand kept moving, administering all the pets it could muster.

“Must be hungry.”

“Meow!”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Hold on a sec. I’ll find you something.”

Noct stood up, ready to feed the cat. Ignis reminded him that we had unfinished business.

“You guys go on ahead,” I told them. “I am morally obligated not to move.”

The cat in my lap agreed. After about fifteen minutes, they came back. The little kitty got up and stretched before climbing out of my lap. I felt disappointed but my legs were happy. I gave her another few strokes before standing up.

“How’d it go?” I asked.

“We got a boat,” Noctis explained. “And some rooms for the night.”

“Nice.”

“We also learned that strange man you ran after yesterday might be from the Empire,” Ignis said. “It would be wise to remain wary of him should we cross paths again.”

My heart sank. That guy might be our enemy? But he seemed so nice! Or at least, not hostile. Why must I always be attracted to villains?

“But for now, we can relax. The boat won’t arrive until tomorrow.”

“We gotta come up with some cat food,” Noctis said. Prompto suggested fishing for some. These guys had fishing rods? I followed them back down the walkway and onto the beach. I was glad to be wearing shoes that didn’t let sand in easily. The worst feeling is always something in your shoe. Or a wet sock. Or both at the same time.

There was a fishing spot not far from the parking lot. Noctis looked excited. That confused me. I’d thought Gladio would be the one for this since he was good in the wild and all. I watched as the prince summoned a fishing rod.

“Wait, we’re actually _fishing?”_ I asked.

“Oh, yeah!” Noct confirmed, casting a line. “‘S’been way too long since I last did this.”

I looked to Ignis and then to the other two.

“So… you’re telling me the prince of an entire kingdom… likes _fishing?”_

Noctis met my eyes. He held contact and cast a line. “Yeah.”

This was going to be a long trip.

Once Noct actually got a bite, the others were pretty into it. I, on the other hand, just stood there. Either he’d get it or he wouldn’t. And he did. Noctis pulled up a fish about the size of a plate. Apparently it was good enough. He carried the poor thing back to the resort and when the cat wouldn’t eat it raw, to speak with the chef at the restaurant.

_I guess Ignis can’t make cat food,_ I thought.

“You got anything a cat might like?” Noctis asked Coctura, the cook.

“That the best pick up line you got?” she asked back, unimpressed. I snorted. Noct rubbed the back of his neck.

“I- There’s this… cat over there.”

Coctura was nice and helped us out. Noct carried the plate over to the cat, who pranced happily around our feet.

“Here ya go, buddy,” he said, placing it down. The cat began to eat, contentedly purring.

“She’s so sweet,” I gushed. “Precious.”

“You’re one spoiled cat.”

“Aww, I think she likes you!” Prompto said. We spent a few more minutes with her before going to check out the rooms Dino had been kind enough to get for us.

What we had was a small living space with one bed and doors leading to other rooms. I felt so lucky to have my own bed that night. The we decided to spend the rest of the day however we wanted. I changed shirts - I now wore the moogle one - and went to see if I could find any information about Angel’s Island.

The only problem was that I was too nervous to talk to anyone. Maybe there was a brochure or something I could read. I found a whole rack near the front but none of looked like they could help me. My eyes looked around at all the people sitting and eating. Definitely not going to ask them. I wandered back to the area with a roof. Ignis was sitting at the place we had gotten the cat food. I approached him quietly, noting that he was writing.

“Um, Ignis?” I spoke shyly once he had finished. He looked up at me.

“Ah, I had wondered where you had got off to,” he said. “Did you need something?”

I sat down next to him, staring at the table for a second.

“Do you know anything about that island?” I asked, struggling to make eye contact. Gotta remember people like that.

“The island?” He turned to look for it. “Can’t say I do, to be honest. Coctura?”

The chef from earlier’s attention was caught.

“What can you tell us about that island off the coast?”

My improvised name was not far off. It was called Angelgard and the gods used to convene there before they went to sleep. That raised several questions regarding my dream and purpose here. When Coctura told us people generally didn’t go near it and those that did rarely returned, Ignis and I exchanged a glance. Red flags were parading in both our heads.

After that explanation, he led me back to the hotel room so we could speak more privately. I got another headache trying to remember just what my dream had been about.

“Like it or not, the gods must have something to do with this,” Ignis said, pacing. “If you were there on that island, it’s no coincidence.”

“I did recognize it as soon as I saw it,” I muttered, thinking. I was sitting on a chair around the table. “But why? Why _me?”_

“It’s a possibility we may never know, not at the rate we’re going. But if I had to make a guess, I’d say it has something to do with our current situation. Things between Lucis and the Empire are more tense than they ever have been. Perhaps someone from the outside and therefore without bias can provide a better solution.”

“One problem.”

He stopped to meet my gaze.

“I _hate_ politics.”

“And that’s exactly why they would choose you. The less bias you have, the more accurate a solution.”

“No, no, no. My bias is _against_ politics. I’m by no means an anarchist; government and therefore politics are an essential part of life but I’d really want nothing to do with them personally.”

Ignis hummed, thinking. The door opened and in walked Gladiolus. Ignis was pacing again.

“Everything alright?” Gladio asked.

“We found out I was sent here because of divine intervention,” I explained lightly.

“Angelgard is where the gods once convened,” Ignis said. “And where Ramuh now rests. He used to pass judgment there.”

“Slow down,” Gladio said. “What’s Angelgard?”

“The island from my dream,” I answered. I point out the window. “And the one out there. Same place.”

“So you’re saying you’ve got some sort of divine right?”

“No, that’s Noctis. I just… fell, I guess. We don’t know why. Ignis thinks it might have to do with bringing true peace, but I don’t think so.”

“Huh. That’s pretty heavy.”

“Yep.”

“I just can’t imagine any other reason,” Ignis breathed, standing still now. “Why else would she come at such a time?”

“No idea,” Gladio said. “But we can’t rule out anything else just yet. Not until she remembers more.”

“It hurts to remember,” I said. “When I try, my skull aches.”

“Did you see anyone?” Ignis asked. “Or anything that might be a clue?”

I went over my dream up to the point where it started hurting. “There were swords… Really big ones. They made a circle. And then… A formation of some sort… Agh…”

My brain was throbbing. I could see the area clear as day in my mind. The giant swords and an opening in a hill nearby did not go away. I could remember turning to see something but why? Why did I turn?

“I think I heard something-”

A white hot pain shot through my head and I clutched at it. So I did hear something. The pain was all I could feel, though. I must be getting closer to an epiphany. Suddenly Handsome Stranger entered my thoughts and the pain went away. When I opened my eyes, Ignis was kneeling next to me. Gladio was standing behind him. Prompto and Noctis had just come in the room and looked confused.

“What happened?” Noctis asked, worried. Gladio filled them in as Ignis checked to make sure I was okay.

“Does it still hurt?” he asked. I shook my head and told him it just went away when I stopped thinking of it. “Try not to think too much of it again just yet.”

I nodded, saying nothing. A few tears had leaked out. I wiped them away and cleaned my glasses.

“Hey, you okay?” Prompto asked. I nodded again. “Just let us know if there’s anything we can do, okay?”

“Yeah,” Noctis said. “Don’t sweat it.”

I smiled and thanked them before standing to go to my room. I spent the rest of the day reading my history book. I skipped ahead to the war between Niflheim and Lucis. I felt the need to catch up with that.

_Iedolas?_ I thought. _How do you even pronounce that?_

The emperor was once kind and benevolent but as he grew older, his actions became more malicious. He appointed a chancellor, someone named Ardyn Izunia who had helped create the Magitek Infantry. Together they made Niflheim nigh unstoppable. I stopped at the death of the Oracle’s mother. The sun was setting and it was time for dinner.

The rest of the night was pretty relaxed. I distracted myself by playing King’s Knight with the boys and letting them teach me how to play card games. They quickly realized that I could easily be a quick study given the right circumstances. I may not have come first every time, but I came close. We ended the evening with a walk on the beach where we compared memes and discovered our generations’ same pull towards fatalistic humor. I went to sleep that night with mixed thoughts and a comfortable bed.

I was awoken that morning by Prompto. He told me I could stay in bed as long as I was awake. I was grateful and did just that. I decided to get up just as Noctis did. When he asked where I was, I opened my door and walked in.

“Hello,” I said sleepily, running a hand through my messy locks. I received greetings from three of them. Ignis was missing. When he came back, I had taken residence sitting on Noctis’ bed. His expression was unreadable. He was holding a newspaper in his hand. I had a feeling something was wrong.

“What’s that look for?” Noctis asked after his advisor stared at him for a second. Ignis handed the newspaper to Gladio.

“It’s in all the papers,” he muttered. I watched, concerned.

“What is?” Noctis prodded, impatient. The tension was almost palpable. Prompto read over Gladio’s shoulder.

“Insomnia… falls?” he read, disbelief lacing his words. My stomach dropped. Wasn’t that their capital city? Noctis gasped, asking if this was their idea of a joke.

“I need you to calm down so I can explain,” Ignis told him.

“I’m as calm as I’m gonna get!” Noctis said.

“There was an attack. The imperial army has taken the Crown City.”

_No. There’s no way. Now?_

“‘As treaty room tempers flared, blasts lit the night sky,’” Gladio read. “‘When the smoke about the Citadel cleared the king was found… dead.’”

My heart leapt with anxiety. The king was dead? What was going to happen now? Did that mean we were in imperial territory now? Were we safe?

“No, wait, hold on…” Noctis trailed.

“We had no way of knowing,” Ignis stated.

“What? Knowing what?”

“That the signing was last night. That Insomnia-”

“But the wedding! Altissia-!”

“I _know,_ that was the plan. Yet the reports of the invasion are all the same. How could every headline in the kingdom be wrong?”

“...Lies.”

“If only…” Prompto mumbled. A moment of silence passed. I could practically feel their emotions. The same thing that had happened to me had now happened to them.

“I’m sorry…” I whispered, hoping I could comfort them somehow. All I was met with was a glare.

“Did you know about this?” Noctis asked angrily. My eyes widened.

“What?”

_“Did you know about this?”_

I shook my head. “No! Of course not!”

“You sure? It wasn’t in that dream of yours? Nothing to warn us about it? You think you could just keep it from us-?”

“Noct, that’s enough,” Ignis interrupted firmly. “She had no way of knowing, either. She is not from this world and we have already established what she can and can't remember about her vision.”

Noct sat down as Gladio said that we couldn’t be sure until we had seen it with our own eyes. After a small exchange on the safety of said action, we hurried out to the car. I said nothing for a long while. It was raining and so the car’s top was up. It felt more cramped than usual. It was quiet for awhile until we were nearing the border.

I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t sure there was anything I could do. I wanted to offer comfort but I didn’t want to make anything worse. So I kept my head down and said nothing.

“I hope everyone’s okay,” Prompto said.

“Lotta good hoping’s gonna do,” Noctis sighed.

“You mustn’t lose faith,” Ignis said.

“Really? Can faith stop a fleet of imperial dreadnoughts?”

“Give it a rest,” Gladio grumbled. His father had died defending the king.

“My old man had plenty of faith!”

Noct’s voice was thick, signaling to me that tears were on their way. I tried placing a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off. All we had right now was lies. The empire had lied about the ceasefire and the treaty.

Another thirty minutes passed in silence. I respectfully kept my distance. As we neared the border, a group of large airships flew overhead.

“Look at the size of those things,” Gladio pointed out.

“Imperial dreadnoughts,” Ignis explained, “they transport soldiers, namely the Magitek infantry.”

“The things the chancellor made?” I asked quietly, recalling my history lesson from the previous day. I couldn’t remember his name, but the award had stuck with me.

“Precisely. Massed produced humanoid weapons of warfare.”

I shuddered at the thought.

“Doesn’t look like they’ll be signing that peace treaty,” Prompto said. Another few minutes passed and soon we came to an inspection point. There was a convenient way around, a dirt path to our left, so Ignis turned and took that. When we reached a dead end, he stopped the car and we got out. I had my hood up to shield my glasses from the rain so I could see.

There was a decent vantage point up ahead, so all five of us raced up the stairs of the wall. Magitek soldiers were patrolling the area. The boys decided to take out their anger on them. I didn’t blame them.

“Stay out of the way,” Noctis told me. “Last thing we need is someone else getting hurt.”

I patiently waited as they took out the robot things and followed them to the back. Four Insomnians and an alien weaved their way through the structure, the former wiping out all the soldiers they could find. Then they came to a rocky walkway swarming with Magitek. They even had snipers. I did my best to stay out of their line of vision.

Noctis was warping like crazy, hitting every soldier he saw. He was the only one besides Prompto who could take out the ones that were higher up. Ignis and Gladiolus worked together to protect Noct, striking down the ones he didn’t get. I stayed out of sight and therefore out of mind.

And then I heard Prompto cry out. The others were too far away to get to him in time. Noctis killed the sniper who had got him. Prompto was clutching his shoulder, now unable to defend himself. He had been shot. I dodged around rocks and grass until I reached him.

“Here,” I said. He began to protest, telling me to go back and hide. I ignored him. “I don’t know much about first aid, but you need to put pressure on it.”

He let me move his hand away. I laid my hand over his shoulder, wincing as I did. It looked bad. The bullet had hit his shirt, but also grazed his skin. The sight of blood did not help. I pushed down thoughts of distress and focused on helping him. As I began to press down on the wound, my hand suddenly started glowing a faded turquoise. My eyebrows furrowed and I watched in fascination as its light surrounded Prompto’s shoulder, closing the wound. All that was left was blood. We exchanged horrified glances. Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my left shoulder. I cried out and clawed at it. It hurt so much. My vision clouded for a moment before going back to normal. There was a slight ache, but other than that the pain was now gone.

“What was that?” he choked.

“I have no idea,” I croaked back.

“Prompto! ______! Come on!” Someone called ahead. With an uneasy expression, I hesitantly followed my friends to a cliff overlooking the Crown City. As they watched the city burn and more dreadnoughts fly around, I was locked in thought. How had I healed Prompto? I had never been able to do that before. Did I have magic now? Did the gods do this? What would this mean? I stared at my hands. I had wiped the blood off but I still looked at them like they were filthy. Where had this odd power come from?

I carefully touched my shoulder as the boys pulled up a radio broadcast on one of their phones. It was like a bruise. If I pressed down, it hurt, but other than that, it was fine. I lifted my jacket sleeve and shirt sleeve. Nothing. There was nothing there and yet it still ached.

Prince Noctis and the Oracle Lunafreya were pronounced dead. I looked up with a pained expression.

_Lunafreya? Wasn’t she Noct’s fiance? Oh poor Noctis…_

Prompto dropped his phone.

_I suppose that means I can’t get home, either. If she’s dead… What does that mean for the rest of this world?_

Someone called Noctis. His name was Cor. Interesting name. Noctis was angry but something Cor said sobered him. He ended the call and led us out of there. Prompto and I exchanged more glances, not sure whether to speak of what had happened or not.

“Cor’s waiting for us in Hammerhead,” Noct said. Ignis got to driving. It was another silent ride. I could hear Noctis trying to suppress his feelings next to me. Gladio was silent, not even reading. Prompto didn’t say anything either but looked back at me and Noct every so often. Ignis kept his eyes on the road but did the same as Prompto.

Some time later, Gladio pulled out his phone and let out a very relieved sigh.

“Got a message from my sister,” he announced. “She’s with refugees bound for Lestallum.”

“Well, at least Iris is okay,” Prompto said.

“Yeah. Doesn’t sound like everyone else was so lucky though.”

“We’d best make haste,” Ignis said. “Noct won’t be dead forever.”

I looked at the prince. His gaze was glazed over, facing forward.

“Noctis?” I asked quietly. He didn’t respond. “How are you feeling?”

“No going back,” Prompto declared. “Only way’s forward.”

“‘No going back’,” Noctis repeated. The hurt in his eyes reached my heart. “Let’s go.”

We soon pulled into Hammerhead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my friend Pippiuscattius who’s been helping me out. You’re the best~
> 
> also pls don’t argue with me on the politics part i’d rather just stay out of it


	7. Potestas regis...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis takes up his birthright as king. Dearest Reader continues to be confused with her visions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “The Power of Kings...”
> 
> Me: *says I’ll update once a week or every two weeks*  
> Also me: *did not expect to have so much drive for this story*  
> Me again: *uploads a couple chapters a week*  
> Me: Oops.
> 
> Just wanted to shout out to Inkwriter for giving me the idea of Reader using magic~!

When we got out of the car, Cindy greeted us. She said that Cor had already left to tend to some business. He left us a message with Cid. We hurried to the garage to get out of the rain. Cid was sitting in a corner, looking crestfallen.

“Crystal and the king’s ring,” he said when we were all inside, “what they’ve been after all along.”

“So all talk of peace was merely a pretext,” Ignis said. There was a moment of silence. I hung back to give them space. Oh how I wished there was something I could do.

“They played my father for a fool,” Noctis breathed.

“Don’t kid yourself,” Cid scolded. He picked up a wrench. “Reggie wasn’t born yesterday. Lucis got dealt a losing hand and your old man played it the best he could. He saw this comin’ a mile away, and he wasn’t gonna go down without a fight.”

But it wasn’t enough. Cid was so clearly upset, hunched over at the thought that he couldn’t remember the last time he had seen his friend. The small bouts of silence got to me in the worst of ways. I wanted to cry for them. I watched as Cid left the garage, telling to find Cor. Then I looked back to Noctis. His back was to me, but I could tell this conversation wasn’t helping.

When we got back outside, Cid told us Cor was waiting for us in some tombs. I think we all were wondering why. We piled into the car and headed north for the outpost. It was another quiet drive.

The outpost was a rundown little place. It seemed almost everything was in ruins or at least was falling apart.

_I guess this really is Lord of the Rings._

Noct went around looking for someone. We found her outside a crumbling building. Her name was Monica and she had hair of a grayish color. She knelt and bowed to Noctis, telling him that most of the Crownsguard didn’t make it. Iris was still bound for Lestallum. We were to catch up to the marshal, who I assumed was Cor. Monica gave me a questioning glance, but didn’t comment.

The five of us headed out to the tombs. Were they burying the king? That was all I could guess at that point. It had stopped raining and we made our way up to some old ruins in a rocky outcrop.

“Can’t keep up with this guy,” Gladio said.

“First the Crown City,” said Prompto, “then Hammerhead, then the royal tomb?”

“His nickname should’ve been ‘Cor the Restless’,” Ignis commented.

“Somehow not as catchy as Cor the Immortal,” Gladio said.

“The Immortal?” I asked. Gladio explained he had been through several fatal battles and came out alive. We turned and went through a gate. Where we were looked more like a fort now. A left turn led to a fight with some birds and then to the tomb.

The white stone and dark trimming made for a regal memorial. A carved statue guarded the door, which was black with intricate carvings surrounding it. Noct opened the door and we filed inside.

Cor Leonis was a man who looked much like a lion, albeit without the mane. His resting expression was stern and when he locked eyes with me, I felt like I’d done something wrong. He was quite intimidating.

“At last, Your Highness,” he said, tearing his gaze from mine. I stood to the side, left of Noct.

“Yeah, wanna tell me what I’m here for?” the prince asked. Cor was on the other side of a long dead king’s resting place. The coffin was made of stone and had been cut beautifully to look like a monarch. It held a sword in its hands. Cor held his own over it.

“The power of kings,” he claimed, “passed from the old to the new through the bonding of souls. One such soul lies before you. To claim your forebears’ power is your birthright and duty as king.”

“My duty as king of what?” Noctis muttered. I looked to him in shock.

“Now is not the time to question your calling. A king is sworn to protect his people.”

Noct hissed. “And yet he chose to protect only one prince. Was that his calling? Forsake the masses to spare his own son?”

“How long will you remain the protected?”

I wanted to say he’d done a good job of protecting me, but it was not my place. This wasn’t about me and it certainly wasn’t something I understood enough to argue.

“The king entrusted the role of protector to you.”

“‘Entrusted’ it to me?” Noctis growled. “Then why didn’t he tell _me?/i > that? Why did he stand there smiling as I left?”_

His hand shot out to grip the coffin. His voice was thick. I could feel the lump in his throat, see the tears brimming in his eyes. I understood how he felt.

“Why?”

His frame sunk over his arm, leaning on the coffin. I rushed to his side, placing one hand on his shoulder and the other on his back, making small circles with my thumb. His voice got quieter.

“...Why did he lie to me?”

“I’m sorry, Noctis,” I whispered. My hands were trembling.

“That day,” Cor told him, “he didn’t want you to remember him as the king. In what time you had left, he wanted to be your _father.”_

Noctis was crying now. My own throat was dry, and my chest hurt to see him in such pain. I choked back my few tears. No one said anything for another couple seconds.

“He always had faith in you, that when the time came, you would ascend for the sake of your people.”

The prince, no- _king_ straightened up, standing tall. My hands fell to my sides. I received a grateful expression.

“Guess he left me no choice,” King Noctis Lucis Caelum said, resigned to his fate. He hesitantly held out his hand over the sword in the tomb. It glowed a light blue and hovered over its resting place for a moment. Then it sped forward, launching itself into Noctis’ chest. It circled him and disappeared.

At the same time, a faint turquoise light outlined my own body. The sudden vision of a black-haired man in white entered my thoughts. His face seemed familiar. He wielded a sword of similar prowess. And then it was gone.

“The power of kings goes with you, Your Majesty,” Cor said respectfully. He told the king that there were more tombs for him to find, and that he would tagalong for a little bit to get a measure of his strength. The next tomb was nearby. We began our journey there. “And before I forget, mind telling me who this is?”

I froze, unsure of how to respond. Noctis introduced me and Prompto added in that I fell from the sky. Cor’s scrutinizing gaze had me shrinking behind Ignis.

“We were taking her to see Luna,” Noctis said. “The only lead we have is Angelgard.”

“Angelgard?” the marshal questioned. “The island over by Galdin Quay?”

“I had a dream about it,” I mumbled shyly.

“That is odd. Best keep her with you for now. If she’s connected to the gods, it wouldn’t do to have the empire get their hands on her.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Noct stated firmly. I looked to Prompto, wondering if now would be a good time to let my new ability be known. He glanced back to Noctis and shrugged at me. I decided to wait and see if I could actually do it again.

It wasn’t long until I actually did. A little ways outside the first tomb was an old fort the empire was taking up residence in. My four friends and the marshal seemed happy to put them in their place. I still stayed out of sight, feeling utterly useless once more. Cor kept on an eye on me and Prompto.

Some sort of robot with rockets came at them. I watched in amazement as Noctis warped up to hit one of its weak spots. Gladio and Cor took the legs and Ignis marked places for Noct to hit, Prompto was taking care of some straggling Magitek soldiers.

The machine broke down and fell to its knees. Ignis, Gladio, and Cor got away in time, but as Prompto shot the last swordsman, Noctis got caught up in the blast of an explosion. Checking to make sure no one would attack me, I ran out to join the others.

Noctis came stumbling out from the smoke. We all rushed forward to make sure he was alright. He was shaking it off.

“What?” he coughed. “Something on my face?”

Ignis looked him over for any lasting injuries. “You were burned.”

Noct touched the outside of his right arm and hissed at the pain. It was an ugly red, scalding.

“Eh, I’ve had worse,” the king scoffed. I nudged Prompto. He looked from me to Noctis to me again. “Got any remedies?”

“Not on hand, no,” Ignis said. “Marshal?”

“Can’t say I do,” Cor answered. I took a shaky step forward.

“Ca- Can I see?” I asked nervously. Noct turned himself so the burn was facing towards me. I winced at the sight. I cautiously raised my left hand up near it, not touching the skin. The same turquoise color surrounded my hand. I pressed my hand against the wound.

My right arm immediately started hurting. It was so hot. Was I on fire? I grabbed at it, trying to quell the burning sensation. It calmed only slightly.

“The hell?”

“How’d you do that?”

“Where did that come from?”

“Are you alright?” Ignis asked. I lifted my hand from my elbow. Again it hurt but without the wound. Slowly the pain ebbed away. I nodded weakly.

“Have you always been able to do that?” Noctis asked. I shook my head.

“She healed me from a shot wound,” Prompto vouched.

“That was the first time,” I mumbled.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Noct asked.

“Didn’t seem like the right time. I mean, your home got destroyed, so…”

“Another reason to keep her out of harm’s way,” Cor said. He looked at both Gladio and Noct in turn. “That’s a gods given talent. It needs to be protected. You should teach her to defend herself. If the gods really sent her here, we can’t afford anymore casualties.”

“Right.” Gladio nodded. “Can do.”

Oh sweet Lucis I was so going to die.

 

Cor was still a bit wary of me. I didn’t blame him. I was just some random girl the boys showed up with. My new healing abilities gave the boys new hope, though.

“Wait,” Prompto said as we reached the second tomb. “If Lady Lunafreya really is… gone-”

Noct started to protest, glaring at him.

“Just hear me out! What if ______ is the new Oracle?”

The thought alone scared the hell out of me.

“I don’t think so.” I beat Ignis by a second. “Shouldn’t the Oracle be from this world? And I don’t really think she’s dead. Er, sorry…”

I gave Noct an apologetic look.

“Not to mention the Oracle only heals people with the Starscourge,” Ignis explained further. “I haven’t heard of them healing more physical injuries and certainly not in a way that takes it into oneself.”

The black haired man from my vision earlier crossed my mind again. I wondered if he had had some similar power.

Keycatrich Trench did not sit well with anyone. It was a run down shelter as old as the outpost we had come from. Why someone decided to bury a _king_ down there, I didn’t know. Cor left us to our own devices, tossing Noct a key.

Gladio gave me a sort of button to pin to my shirt or jacket. It lit up like a flashlight. How convenient, I thought. We followed Noctis down into the cave. Luckily there was a backup generator.

“Then there was light,” Ignis said once we got it up and running.

“Hello, there, God,” I muttered. No one seemed to hear me.

The cave was dark and dingy and smelled like dirt and dust. I didn’t like it. One room we went into had daemons and I got scratched. It turns out I can’t heal myself. Everything looked the same. The doors, the walls, the walkways, all of it made us go in circles. Some of the doors were locked, so we had to go under and over the cave formations and finally found the entrance to the second royal tomb.

Except it was guarded by a giant spider lady. There wasn’t much of a place to hide. I was frantically running from end to end of the room while dodging her attacks. I wasn’t doing too well as I kept getting grazed. A potion later and I was fine.

The inside of this crypt was the same as the other. The only difference was the weapon in the old king’s hand. A double-sided battle axe flew into the air and into Noct’s chest when he reached out to it. The faint glow surrounded me again. I seemed to be the only one who could see it. Another vision of the man in white appeared in my head. He was smiling at another guy. They looked similar, like brothers. The image dissipated.

Who was this strange person I kept seeing?

“So Noct borrows the old kings’ powers?” Prompto asked.

“More or less,” Ignis said. “At this rate, he’ll soon rival his father’s legacy.”

 _And what is his father's legacy?_ I wondered.

“The Copycat King,” Gladio teased.

“Out of line,” said king scolded.

“Well? What’s it like?” Prompto pushed.

“Hmm… Like I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve.”

We made our way out of the trench relatively easy. The daemons were backing away for now. They creeped me out. No thank you. Unfortunately, I’d have to face many more on this journey.

Once we emerged into fresh air, Noctis’ phone started ringing. As he spoke to whoever was on the other line, I noticed something to the left of the trench. It looked like more old ruins. My feet carried me over to it. A statue was standing tall and proud in the evening sunlight. I rounded the ridge to get a better look.

There was something about the statue I did not like. Whether it was its demonic appearance or the way it loomed over me, I didn’t know. It was holding a sword, resting between its hands and balanced on the ground. Its armor sprouted curled formations and a pair of horns swept out from the crown. A bitter taste was in my mouth. I did not like whoever this was. My chest was growing warmer and my eyebrows furrowed with distaste.

“That would be the Founder King.” Ignis’ voice startled me out of my trance. “Apologies.”

“The Founder King?” I repeated. “That’s Somnus?”

I spat the word out of my mouth. How odd.

“Yes, it is. A truly noble man. Perhaps Noct could learn a thing or two from him.”

“Noble…” I muttered mockingly. Ignis gave me a weird look.

“Everything alright?”

I sighed, shoulder drooping. “It’s been a long day, for all of us.”

“It certainly has been. I believe there is a caravan at the outpost. We’re meeting Monica there to discuss taking down an imperial base.”

“Let me guess: I should stay there? Until you come back?”

“Actually, I was going to suggest you come along. I understand your new ability causes you harm, but it seems phantom. I hate to ask, but we’re running low on funds to buy curatives…”

He pushed his glasses up. I smiled.

“Okay,” I agreed. With one last look at Somnus, Ignis led me back to the others. Tomorrow was going to be another long one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would anyone be averse to reader being able to play the piano? Just wanted to check before I finish the next chapter and the one after.  
> Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this one! I’m just trying to get to the next Ardyn part as quick as I can. Hopefully it will be sooner rather than later as it’s critical to their relationship. Anyway, have a great day/night/whenever you’re reading this!


	8. ...et auxilium medicarum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four boys and an alien fight some bad guys and arrive in Lestallum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “...and the Help of Healers”
> 
> Hey look it’s Iris!

It was an easy walk back to the outpost now that the empire’s weaponry had been taken down. Prompto wasn’t sure we could take down a whole stronghold, though. I also had my doubts. There were only four boys and I didn’t know how to fight. Ignis seemed to think I could help, but I wasn’t sure how.

Once we found Monica again, she marked the place on Noctis’ map. The entry they had found was secure. It should be easy to get in. Then she looked to me.

“This is ______,” Noct said for me. “She’s a… healer we found near Hammerhead.”

Well, he wasn’t _wrong._

“It’s good to see you’re making allies, Your Highness,” Monica said. Isn’t he king? Shouldn’t she address him as “majesty”?

Ignis was right in that there was a caravan at the outpost. I didn’t expect “worn down trailer” to be its equal in description, but I wasn’t going to complain. Aloud.

_When will the motel rooms return?_ I wailed in my head. Maybe I’d get a real bed next time.

The next day we hurried to the area on the map. Monica was waiting for us in a little inlet that normally would’ve been overlooked. There was a space to slip through to some other side. She explained that Noctis would join Cor there while she and the other three made a diversion. I was confused as to my place in all this.

“We weren’t expecting a fifth party,” Monica said to me. “So I apologize we weren’t able to include you.”

“That’s okay,” I mumbled, looking down at the ground. “I can’t fight anyway.”

As we made our way to the front of the base, the boys summoned their weapons. I hung back around a corner. They had enough potions to last for this long at least. I worked on consciously summoning the magic I apparently had.

It was difficult. The harder I concentrated solely on the summoning, the harder it was to show up. I tried to feel for it like it was the Force in Star Wars and got a faint light blue tint, but other than that, it seemed I wouldn’t be able to control it just yet. I made a mental note to work on that later.

I waited a few more minutes. The sounds of metal clashing, pained grunts, and gunfire put me on edge. It was _loud._ I was worried something might happen to my friends. Peering around the rocks I was hiding behind, I saw they were clearing out the last few. Once Gladio delivered the killing blow to the final one, Ignis gestured for me to come out. I hurried over.

“Is anyone hurt?” I asked, raising my dominant arm. They looked scuffed up, but otherwise okay.

“Just got bruises that’ll hurt for weeks,” Prompto joked. I didn’t. I approached him quickly. “Woah, woah! I’m okay!”

We rounded up near the gate as it opened. Noct and Cor were standing on the other side. I waved.

“Noct!”

“Alright on your end?” the prince/king asked.

“Right as rain,” Gladio answered, nodding. “The Niffs couldn’t take their eyes off us.”

“Thanks to you we were spared their attention,” Cor said. I again asked if anyone was hurt. “No, but thank you.”

My hand dropped to my side pitifully. Why was I here? They seemed fine on their own. In the air, an ship was gliding towards us. A boy’s voice came over its intercom.

“Stay right where you are,” whoever it was said.

“No thanks, I’m good,” I said aloud. Cor gave me a disapproving glance. I shrunk behind Ignis again.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Cor the Immortal,” the mysterious voice mocked. “So you survived the Citadel. But you won’t survive what I have in store for you. It’s past time for your legend came to an end.”

Whoever this was, he sounded cocky. My friends were going to wipe the floor with him, I bet. The airship’s door opened to a large machine. It was bigger than the one the boys took down by Keycatrich Trench. I stepped back as it leapt down. The ground shook. It was pandemonium as my friends rushed forward to take on this enemy. Monica led me to a safer zone to hide before joining them.

I watched in awe at the teamwork displayed. Noct was calling out short orders in succession. He warped around and caught the blind spots. I hoped he wouldn’t get caught up in the explosion this time. Monica and Cor mostly focused on the MTs that surrounded them. Blow after blow they struck, but there was no end in sight. Those robots really were mass produced.

More and more the quartet got hit. I watched them using potion after potion. Noct groaned in frustration and shouted to Ignis that they were running low _again._ The retainer wasn’t looking too good. Neither was Prompto. They edged the outskirts of the battlefield. I made a split second decision and raced out to them.

I was trodding along the shadows. No one saw me. The others were keeping the enemies busy. I snuck up on Ignis, hand glowing turquoise.

“Please don’t die,” I said as I touched his shoulder. The pain hit me like a boulder. My shoulders ached and I could feel the sting of cuts from MT swords. I grabbed at the sensations, wishing it would go away soon. Ignis pulled me behind him as I recovered.

“You’re supposed to be hiding!” he scolded.

“Say that to your pain,” I groaned. I righted myself and looked for Prompto. He was on the other side of the yard. The ground shook as the machine fell on its knee, vulnerable. “...See ya!”

As Ignis called out for me to stop, I dashed over to Prom. A bullet passed right by my ear. That was a close one. My heart was racing for all the wrong reasons. Breath picking up speed, my hand found Prompto. His eyes widened and mouth hung open. I slipped behind one of the warehouse walls as the feeling of grazed bullets washed over me. My stomach twisted and flipped. I felt like vomiting.

“Thanks!” the bubbly gunman shouted before running to help Noct. I leaned against the wall, legs shaky. Gunfire rang in my ears. The others _sounded_ like they were doing fine now. A minute later and I heard Machine Man cry out in disdain. I stepped out from my spot to see his giant mecha robot collapsed. Noctis was frantically getting away this time. Cor, Ignis, and Gladio were not so lucky. I hobbled my way over to them as the heat from the blast struck. I quickened my pace after seeing the marshal thrust forward and over his feet.

“I should really give you guys a lesson on running from explosives,” I scolded, touching Ignis’ arm. My back erupted with hot pain. I looked to Gladio. He seemed fine and like he did not want to add to my predicament. I pressed a fingertip to Cor’s arm. He had taken the most damage from that. My whole body felt like it had taken impromptu trip to the ground in a freestyle faceplant in the sweltering heat of a volcano.

“Like there’s much we could do,” Gladio retorted back as he helped me stand. My legs were heavy. I felt exhausted.

“You had at least a few seconds to make it a few feet,” I slurred.

“Someone’s feeling talkative today,” Noct teased. My quiet nature wasn’t having their recklessness.

“Say that next time you’re in a pickle and no help will come.”

“Impressive.” Cor addressed Noctis. “Seeing you in action puts my mind at ease. It’s clear I don’t need to worry anymore. I’ll return to watching the Niffs. ‘Til next time. Take care.”

Waving, we said goodbye to Cor and Monica. Noct walked slowly through the gate. We followed close behind. I stumbled to stay on my feet. Healing several people who got beat up pretty badly was taking its toll on me. Guess I’d have to build up a resistance.

“C’mere,” Gladio said, scooping me up after I almost keeled over.

I started squirming again. “Noooo I can waaalk…”

“Stop moving and I’ll think about letting you down.”

I grumpily crossed my arms. This was uncomfortable. What if I fell again?

“Ain’t so bad out here once you get used to it.”

“Still a lot we haven’t seen, though,” said Prompto.

“And a lot for us to do,” Ignis added.

“Yeah.”

“Buck up,” Gladio said. “We’re just getting started.”

I was deposited in the car, head lolling sleepily. It felt like I could sleep for a thousand years. That sounded nice… I was vaguely aware of the others getting in the car. My legs felt heavy. Eyes drooping shut, my head tilted left and I slipped into the realm of sleep.

The dreams that danced in my brain were rather whimsical and weird. I drifted in and out of a deep sleep, sometimes hearing the others speaking. In one dream, there was a large black bird running through a dense forest. It cawed proudly. The leaves from the trees swirled around it, hitting the forest floor only to be swept up again. More birds began to join it. They were all yellow. There were five in total, the black and its yellow friends. As the sequence watched them frolic and play, I smiled, feeling happy. The bird might be different from the others, but it still belonged to their flock.

I awoke to the quartet chatting about the regions beyond wherever we were. My head was leaning on something. Wanting to sleep more, I snuggled closer to my pillow. It wriggled a bit. I sighed contentedly.

“-bigger’s better!” I heard Prompto sing. “More stuff to see and do.”

“First comes Duscae,” said Ignis, “a region known for its wetlands.”

“Really?” my pillow spoke. “Wetlands?”

“I thought _the sky_ didn’t have ground,” I mumbled. Chuckles were heard around me.

“Not the sky,” Ignis explained. “Duscae. With a d.”

“The sky doesn’t have a d. It’s genderless.”

Someone snorted. I slowly opened my eyes, smiling at my stupid sleepy wordplay. Prompto was trying hard not to laugh. Gladio had put his book down. My pillow was shaking. But it wasn’t a pillow.

“Oh, sorry, Noctis,” I yawned, sitting up.

“Uh, it’s fine,” he said awkwardly. “And - y’know, you can call me Noct.”

My eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yeah, I don’t see why not.”

“Does that mean she can call Ignis ‘Iggy’?” Prompto asked.

“Two birds with one stone,” Ignis quipped.

“More like one giant bird with two sneaks,” Gladio said. I laughed.

“Thank you,” I said. “It really means a lot to me, everything you’ve done.”

“No problem,” said the prince. I still wasn’t sure what he was at that point. The other three seconded what he said. I tried my best not to smile and failed miserably.

We kept driving, Ignis telling us more about the lands beyond Leide. There was a chocobo forest. I was quick to tell them about my dream. They smiled when I described the birds. There were five, just like us.

“You have the weirdest dreams,” Noct commented.

Next was Iris and Lestallum. Gladio said his sister should’ve arrived already. I wondered what Lestallum was like. My book didn’t have many pictures of it. I flipped through it to see what it said about the city.

“The Meteor of the Six?”

Noctis’ voice drew me back into the conversation.

“You mean you can actually see it?” I asked excitedly, leaning forward in my seat. “I’ve never seen a real meteor before, certainly not a divine one.”

“Of course,” Ignis answered. “Its heat is harnessed to power Lestallum.”

“Smart.”

“That’s way cool,” Prompto gasped.

“I’m actually looking forward to this,” Gladio said. I found a chapter on Lestallum and began reading. Not long after, we pulled into a gas station. Ignis left the driving to Noct if he so desired. I headed into the convenience store to find a bathroom. When I came out, the boys were waiting by the car.

“Where to next?” I asked, yawning.

“We’re meeting my sister in Lestallum,” Gladio said. “I think you’ll get along great.”

Noct had decided to drive, so I was now sandwiched between Gladio and Ignis. The latter didn’t keep his eyes off Noct and the road. Gladio was reading again. I leaned my head back, looking up at the sky. I was bored of reading. I didn’t feel like thinking more about my predicament since nothing new had come up. I reached into my pocket and pulled my phone and headphones out. Prompto turned in his seat to say something when he spotted them in my hands.

“Hey, Noct, you still got the aux cord in here?” he asked. I looked up, confused. Prom sifted through the contents of the glove compartment until he pulled out a wire. He plugged in one end to an adapter to the car and handed the other end to me. “Show us what kinda music you got back home.”

“I doubt I could show you,” I said, smiling, “but you can listen.”

After inspecting the cord to make sure it could fit in my phone (it could), Coldplay was now singing through speakers. It was nice to share something from home with them. I was scared to sing along, though. So I hummed.

The car ride went by swiftly as carefully selected song after less carefully selected song played. My friends seemed to like the music, and I certainly wasn’t complaining. They looked happy that I was happy. And I was happy that they were happy.

It was late afternoon when we arrived in Lestallum. We passed under a tunnel and emerged into a brightly lit city. As always, it wasn’t what I was expecting. The few buildings we passed by on the way to the parking lot where supported by old columned arches. The buildings themselves weren’t that tall, but they were weathered. It was like several ages worth of history had been melded together to form what we saw now.

As Noct parked the car he said, “It’s getting hot out here.”

“Seconded,” I agreed.

“Just need to pull in somewhere cool,” Gladio said.

“Yeah.”

“Any chance of sleeping in a nice room tonight?” asked Prompto.

“Yes, I’m certain we can find…” Ignis paused. “...suitable accommodations nearby.”

I guessed he didn’t have a good first impression of this place.

We walked up the driveway to the town level. After looking both ways, we crossed the road and found ourselves in what I assumed was the town square. People were roaming about, going who knows where. I then realized this was the first city I had been to in this world.

“Ugh, there are people here,” I grumbled, arms folding.

“Well, yeah, it’s a city,” Gladio said.

“One hell of a crowd,” Prompto observed.

“This must be the main thoroughfare,” Ignis said. Gladio pulled his phone out and told us Iris was at a place called the Leville. I assumed that was a hotel. Finally, an actual bed!

As we walked through alleyways and corridors, it dawned on my that this place looked like if the gas stations we had been to had become a city. It wasn’t awful to look at, but it was a bit dirty. The place was full of wires and pipes. I had no idea where they went. I didn’t want to know.

We came upon a small courtyard with a fountain in the center. It was cute. Right behind the water was the Leville. It was indeed a hotel. We hurried over. As we did so, the ground began shaking. I stopped and struggled to stay on my feet. Noct bent forward, clutching his head. He groaned in pain.

“What’s wrong?” Ignis asked.

“My head just started throbbing,” the prince answered.

“I feel that,” I said, remembering the headaches I gotten from my dream.

“You alright?” Prompto asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine…” Noct said.

“Was that an earthquake?” I wondered.

“It was,” Ignis said. “Most likely from Titan at the site of the Meteor.”

“Wait, your gods are actually on the ground? Where you can see them?”

“Are yours not?” Noct said.

“I wouldn’t say they’re seen everyday,” Ignis explained. “And certainly not everyone can see them, but they are here. There is inevitable proof.”

“Huh. That’s cool, I guess.”

We headed inside the hotel. Noct and I sighed happily as cool air washed us of the heat. I had always preferred cold to heat, even more so now. Soft guitar music was playing, providing me with a sense of safety. There were seats in the middle of the lobby. I sat down as we waited for Iris.

A few minutes went by. Then footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. I turned my head to see a small girl with dark hair. She actually did look a bit like Gladio. She gasped out a nickname for him and hurried down.

“Look at you guys, holding your own out there,” she said, walking over to us. I stood to be polite.

“What can I say?” Prompto laughed. “You look good.”

They had a short exchange concerning out stay here. Her brother said they had some catching up to do. Noctis introduced me once more. He was more honest this time than he was with Monica.

“From the sky?” Iris asked in disbelief. “I bet Jared will want to hear about that if it’s an old legend.”

I soon found myself in a nice hotel room. It was an upgrade from the motel, and definitely better than camping. It was clear how old the place was from the faded blue wallpaper. Lit sconces were placed at the top of each stone strip that made stripes in the blue. The beds were weathered but looked comfortable with white and green stripes. Leather seats surrounded the coffee table.

“Jared and Talcott!” Gladio said, relieved. “Is it good to see you.”

_Finally some normal names,_ I thought. I was standing behind Noctis, near the wall. Jared was an old man who definitely looked to be the grandfather type. Talcott was a small child who had excitement written across his face.

“Prince Noctis!” he exclaimed, smiling. “Iris is same with me!”

He held his arm to his chest, over his heart. I assumed this was a sign of royal recognition.

“Please excuse my grandson,” Jared said, placing an arm around Talcott. “He has yet to learn his manners.”

Noctis hummed. “I like it.”

“Your Highness is very kind, but we shan’t impose.”

“A very good night to you, Your Highness,” Talcott said. He followed Jared out of the room. Iris closed the door. We all made to sit down. I scrambled for a place that was out of the way and settled on the bed nearest the window. Ignis was on the one beside me. Prompto, Noctis, and Iris sat around the coffee table. Gladio stood. There were a few seconds of silence.

“So Iris,” Noct began, “what was it like inside the Crown City?”

I looked at my feet, trying to give them some form of privacy.

“Not pretty,” Iris said. “The Citadel took a beating. But a lot of outlying neighborhoods made it through in one piece.”

“The empire had tactical targets in mind,” Ignis explained.

“You know if there’s anything else, you can ask me,” I heard Iris say.

“Yeah, uh, thanks,” Noctis said. I smiled slightly at his awkwardness. There was another pause. None of us knew where to start next. Then Iris spoke again.

“About… Lady Lunafreya,” she said slowly. Noct and I perked up at the name. “I keep hearing she was in town. Apparently she left right away, but at least it means she’s okay.”

The prince sighed in relief. “Good to hear. Thanks.”

A third moment of silence reigned. I noticed Gladio’s sister kept glancing at me. I waved slightly.

“So…” Iris repeated my name to make sure it was right. “You… fell from the sky?”

“It was crazy!” Prompto jumped in. “We were having breakfast one morning and this huge sound lit the sky.”

“Then we noticed something tumbling down,” Ignis continued.

“We used the tent to catch her,” Noctis told her.

“All I know is that I was sleeping, had a weird dream with- agh…”

The pain returned. It went away quickly.

“-then I was bouncing on a tent, somehow not injured in any way.”

“That’s so weird,” Iris said, confused.

“Cid told us there was a legend of such a tale concerning the Oracle,” Ignis said.

“So you’re going to see Lady Lunafreya, too?”

I nodded. “It’s taking awhile. But I don’t mind. It’s nice to get to see another world.”

“Well I bet Jared and Talcott will know something about it. We can ask them tomorrow.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, well, get a good night’s rest. Do you… want to come to my room? I’m sure traveling with these guys is exhausting.”

I laughed. “A bit, but they’re cool.”

I retrieved my clothes from wherever it was that the boys kept them, and followed Iris to a room nearby. Neither of us said anything. I felt awkward, but sleeping in a rooms without snoring keeping me up kept me going. Once we reached the door, I apologized and said that I wasn’t very good with talking to people.

“Oh, no, that’s okay!” Iris said hurriedly. “Noct’s pretty awkward, too, so I’m used to it.”

“I can probably hold a wet bar of soap better than a conversation,” I joked. We both laughed. There we go. Jokes always work.

This room looked the same as the other one, but the walls were green. When I went to close the door, I could’ve sworn I caught a glimpse of wine colored hair. I peered back out into the hallway. Nothing.

_Huh. Weird._

When I came back inside, Iris wasn’t looking as happy as she was earlier. I realized she must be like the boys and I, who push the bad thoughts away until we’re alone or can’t do that anymore. She sighed. I jumped into Caring For Friends mode.

“Hey, you okay?” I asked gently, walking slowly to her.

“Yeah, I-” She stopped. “No, not really.”

_I don’t know this girl. I don’t know this girl. But she needs help. Comfort. You have to do something._

_But I don’t like hugs! Or touching people in general!_

_Well, it’s a sign of care and comfort so open your damn arms._

I hummed and awkwardly opened my arms. I was sure my expression was contorted with inner confliction. Iris hesitated, but accepted said hug. I have been told I’m very comfortable. My jacket is soft. And I am softer.

“Thank you,” she muttered. If Gladio wasn’t here to help, I’d have to do. I was aware she was probably crying. I understood how she felt. Strange how I lost my home and now my friends lost theirs. We parted after a few minutes. Longer than I would’ve liked, but she needed it.

“We should get ready for bed,” she suggested, wiping her eyes. I nodded with a hopefully calming smile. I was quickest and was in bed within five minutes. The sheets were soft. I snuggled into them. When Iris came out of the bathroom, she tried to start a conversation. I decided to be willing.

“So, did the boys do anything crazy?” she asked. “I swear if they didn’t have Ignis, they’d get nothing done.”

“We- er, they took down an imperial base,” I told her, pushing my sheets down. “I can’t fight, so I just hung back.”

“Just the four of them?!”

“And Cor and Monica.”

“That’s still not a lot of people. They must really be amazing.”

I yawned. “Yeah, they are. Wish I could warp. Don’t know what I’d use it for, but it’d be cool.”

“Yeah, same.” She pulled her bed’s covers down and sat. “Any of them catch your eye?”

My face felt hot. “Huh?”

“C’mon, you’ve been with guys for who knows how many days. You need some girl talk!”

She was starting to remind me of Prompto for some reason.

“Ah, well, not really…” I trailed. I thought back to Handsome Stranger from Galdin Quay.

“Buuut…?”

I relayed the story. We stayed up another hour or two talking and comparing worlds. Before I knew it, I was asleep. In my dreams, another yellow chocobo joined the flock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have another question if anyone’d likeo answer (sorry)  
> Do you guys like the Latin chapter titles or should I just do the memes?  
> Thank you for your time~


	9. If My Calculations Are Correct, I Have Absolutely No Money

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Street performing becomes Dearest Reader newest job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little surprise for ya at the beginning~  
> Also I made a playlist for the songs reader plays: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4PkBMu0k_1Qqx6huFEyLLuPibOO_dJOL
> 
> hopefully that link works

Shaking.

Shaking.

………

Pause.

………………………..

………………………..

_C o l d._

I gasped, opening my eyes and curling up. I blinked. It was like the wind had personally decided it was my alarm clock. Who took the blankets?

“Rise and shine, alien girl!” Iris practically shouted. I groaned at her volume and the light. It was too bright. The window’s curtains were wide open, letting in natural light. I hissed at it. “Come on, don’t you want to see Lestallum?”

“Yeah,” I croaked, “but I don’t mind Le-stallin’ a bit more.”

She giggled. “Noct is still asleep, but Ignis told me to wake you up. Jared and Talcott are leading him and the others on a tour. They didn’t think you’d want to miss it.”

“Yeah, but I just woke up…”

“You’ve got to do that all the time, silly. Now get up!”

I hauled myself into a sitting position. My eyes screamed no, weighing their lids down. “Waking up everyday seems a little excessive.”

“But it’s necessary! Now hurry up and get dressed. They’re serving breakfast downstairs.”

“Alright, I’ll meet you down there. I’m up, I’m up…”

In about ten minutes I was physically ready to start the day. Mentally? I was screaming. Gathering what little strength I possessed, I opened the door and-

I was forced to exhale as I bumped into someone _again._

“I really need to learn to look both ways before crossing proverbial streets,” I muttered. The person I ran into chuckled a bit. My heart almost stopped. Gaze shooting up, I was once again greeted with gorgeous amber eyes.

_What the fuck why does this keep happening?_

“U-uh, um…” I stuttered. No thoughts were running on any trains. The conductors had fallen off the platforms and were screaming as they fell into an endless golden void. “I-I…”

For a split second, Handsome Stranger looked just as surprised as me. Then his face smoothly morphed into a neutral yet smirking position.

“Well, isn’t this a lovely surprise?” he practically purred.

_Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck what do I do what do I do_

“Ah… Yeah…” I managed to get out. I forced myself to avoid eye contact so my brain would actually work. “Um, hi…”

“Hello to you, too, my dear,” he said, slightly laughing again. “I’m terribly sorry for bumping into you once again.”

“Oh, no, no! It’s m-m-my- it’s my f-f-fau- it’s my fault. I shouldn’t- I mean, I didn’t mean to-”

He held up a hand to stop me. “Please don’t hurt yourself. I understand.”

My shoulders slumped. Why did I have to embarrass myself in front of this guy?

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled.

“Come now, there’s nothing to apologize for.”

I gave him a tiny glance. My soul was doing that- that _thing_ again. The thing where it wanted to stay with this man as long as possible. But I was acting ridiculous and my friends… ….OH.

It had been a few seconds. I gasped and turned towards the stairs.

“I-I-I’m sorry,” I stammered, looking back to the man. “I just remembered I have somewhere to be.”

The dazzling smile returned. “Then please, allow me to escort you.”

“Huh?” My heart jumped.

_You’re acting like an idiot. For fuck’s sake…_

“Th-that’s okay! You- You don’t have to. You don’t even know where I’m going…”

“Downstairs, I assume?” He tilted his head. “Though it is awfully early for breakfast.”

“What time is it?”

He hummed, thinking. “Between eight and nine, I believe.”

My eyes narrowed.

“I’m going to kill them,” I growled. Handsome Stranger laughed.

“Now, now, there’s no need for that,” he said. He placed a hand on my back, guiding me forward to the stairs. “As entertaining as it would be…”

Once we reached the steps, he took my arm and linked it with his. Wow, a true gentleman. I couldn’t tell if my thoughts were sarcastic or not.

I was closer to him now. His coat felt soft under my hand. My left hand began to twist in nervousness, the bones popping and giving me a small sense of satisfied comfort. There was also the faint scent of… _something_ drifting from him. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it was nice.

_Wow you sound like a creep._

I ignored my thoughts which had rejoined the tracks. New conductors were hired. All aboard.

“So I never got your name last time,” I said as we reached the bottom of the stairs. He turned to face me, smirking again. My arm fell from his.

“There is a time and place for introductions, my dear,” he said.

“Well…” I thought for a moment. My heart was thumping in my chest like a drum. Could he hear it? “Would… Would you like to join me and my friends…? I’m sure they… Well I don’t _think_ they’d mind…”

Thinking, my gaze went to the side.

“I’m afraid not,” H.S. declined with a small smile. “I also have places to be. Though worry not.”

He stepped closer. I was now tilting my head back to meet his gaze.

“We _shall_ meet again.”

I watched as he walked towards the doors. He opened one and turned.

“Oh, and would you do me a favor, dear? Don’t tell your _friends_ about our little… encounter.”

I found myself nodding. He smirked again, and left. I really hoped he felt as I did. Did he want to come rushing back in here? Should I run after him again? I’ve never really believed in love at first sight, but this… Was this it?

 

I slammed my hands on the chair my friends had saved for me.

“You woke me up,” I growled, “at _eight in the morning?”_

The six people in front of me stared for a second.

“It is always best to get an early start,” Ignis said, smirking slightly.

“Then why isn’t Noctis up?”

“I was afraid he’d stab me,” Prompto wavered. I then realized Jared and Talcott were there and slumped over the chair.

“Sorry… I’m not a morning person…”

A round of short laughter chorused around me. I straightened up and took my plate to get some food. I gasped when I saw the biscuits. I snatched some right up before getting some hash browns. I decided that was good for now.

I was mostly quiet at the table, thinking about my run-in with the stranger from Galdin. Gladio had already told Jared and Talcott (who I learned were his house’s retainers) about me, minus the falling from the sky part. He added that part once we were done. They seemed excited, and Jared brought out a notebook he had filled with tales from all around Eos. Cid’s story added up. One of the Oracles a thousand years ago had wed a man with no background. No one knew anything about him except those who had seen him fall. The story had gotten out years after his death from the descendents of his friends. Or at least, that’s what the sources said. Now that it was a millennium later, no one knew whether it was true or not. I couldn’t help but wonder why that man and I had been chosen to just drop out of the sky.

Talcott asked me a lot of questions. His grandfather tried to stop him, but I didn’t mind. His mind was quite creative. I got to relay some of Earth’s history and a lot of mythology, which made me happy. The others added their own questions, and I answered them the best I could. I learned they had Latin here as well. That surprised me. Our worlds were so different yet so similar.

Iris decided to wait for Noctis so she could show him around. I had suspicions that she had a little crush on him. I said nothing. I tagged along with the others as Jared and Talcott guided us to all the landmarks in Lestallum. We went to the power plant first. I'd never seen one before, and it was quite impressive. It was situated over a basin of meteor chunks. Said meteor chunks were big and sparkly. I got a “danger do not touch” feeling from them. I was glad we couldn’t get near them.

Next was the market. It was a wide, open courtyard with lots of tables and stands and _people._ I almost got separated from the group but managed to keep up by looking for Prompto’s bright blonde hair. I had a feeling we’d come back here later. Ignis seemed intrigued by the skewers they had. We wandered for a bit, my three companions telling our tour guides about what we had been up to.

As we reached the outlook, they were talking about the royal arms. I didn’t pay much attention. The view was absolutely spectacular. I could see the meteor from there. It was large enough to make out distinct features, like the white spikes stretching up. It was dark and very much like a big rock had struck the earth. I was glad Titan had caught it: it was possible it could have wiped out all life if it had really hit the ground.

We headed back to the Leville. When we arrived, Talcott told us about a legend of a sword in a waterfall. It sounded a bit like Excalibur and the Lady of the Lake. The small boy and I compared tales, though I couldn’t remember King Arthur’s story all that well. The Sword in the Stone certainly sounded like the royal arms, though.

Noctis and Iris came along soon after that. Talcott told Noct about the sword. The prince thanked him for the tip. The Insomnian quartet and I headed out of the hotel. Ignis advised we stock up on curatives. They couldn’t rely on me to heal them all the time. I didn’t mind helping, but they made the point of it not being fair to me to hold all their physical pain. Not to mention I hadn't built up endurance just yet.

Luckily, enough time had passed by for lunch. We had just enough money for a quick meal. Then we had almost nothing.

“So what do we do?” asked Noctis, who was a prince and had probably never been broke before.

“There’s always hunting,” Ignis said. “Really all we can afford to do at the moment with what little resources we have.”

“Hey, Noct,” Prompto said. “Remember all that stuff we found in the cave?”

“What about it?” Noct said.

“I bet there’s somewhere we can sell it! One of those stands in the market or something.”

“Not a bad plan,” Gladio said. “I picked up some stuff, too. Think I saw somewhere to pawn ‘em, but not sure about what you’ve got.”

The shield was good in the wilderness and knew what kind of things to pick up. We then split up. Ignis would follow Noct and Prom to the market. Gladio was going to wherever he had mentioned. That left me, who wanted to find the nearest bookstore. I walked through the alleyways small streets of Lestallum, not finding what I was looking for. I stopped in an old antique shop that had some old tomes on display. None of them were what I was looking for. The old lady running the shop directed me to a place across town. I headed there immediately.

I gathered every book on Solheim that I could find. Then I almost went on a rampage looking for anything that mentioned famous healers and that one Oracle’s husband. I found a small book on the lineage of Tenebrae. Nothing explicitly on Somnus and in what I did find that mentioned him, there was hardly anything concerning the Starscourge. Nothing on healing. I was starting to think the author of Cid’s book was just making things up. But surely he wouldn’t, right? The others had confirmed the validity of the rest of what I had read. Surely this person must be recorded _somewhere._

Noctis and his friends made the horrible, horrible mistake of letting me wander around the city alone. When Gladio came to check on me, he found me trying, and failing, to count up and subtract discount prices for a pile of books I was sitting in. All of them were about Solheim and at least one was about the forming of the kingdom of Lucis. If anyone was going to figure out this healer guy, it was me.

“Yeah…” he trailed. “I don’t think we can afford those just yet.”

He left. I never got any books. The poor shopkeeper was trying desperately to reshelve the books. I helped, but mostly got in the way. I apologized a lot and left.

I had almost made it back to the market place when I spotted what was quite possibly the best thing in that city: _an old piano._ I gasped and rushed over to it. I pressed one finger to it.

_We are friends now,_ I thought. All pianos are my friends. One touch is all it takes. I gazed around the small square. Not too many people were out. There was just enough noise for me to be able to play without attracting too much attention. I noticed no sign that I _couldn’t_ test the instrument out. I sat on the worn, sun bleached bench. With my right hand, I acted out a simple C major scale. It sounded to be in good condition. I smiled widely, unable to hold back my excitement.

_But what to play…?_

Best warm up first. And what better way to warm up than with memes? I positioned my hands and began to play short, staccato notes. A jazzy tune soon filled the square. Some people stopped and turned my way. I shoved my anxiety down. I was going to play, so help me _God._

Once that song had ended, I thought a bit more. A few people were strangling behind me now. I may be an anxious mess, but there are a handful of things that override it. One of those things is my love of sharing things with people. I was worried about my performance, but now that I felt that I had a good rhythm going, I decided to jump into it. The next song had been in my head for days. I had played it in the Regalia for my friends. My fingers spread across the keys.

Soon the sound of music could be heard from the alleys nearby. A beautiful melody backed with glorious harmony caught the attention of a red haired stranger. He masked his look and came to watch.

The next song I played was quicker and upbeat. More people were gathering around me now. They enjoyed the fast solo my right hand produced, dancing across the keys and only faltering when I doubted myself. That one ended much sooner than I had hoped. I thought of a longer one, a meme _and_ a reminded of home. I smiled, tapping out familiar chords.

The stranger smiled.

As the song went on, I saw a couple people swaying to the chorus. I couldn’t help but smile. I was making people _happy._ That made _me_ happy. I kept playing, this time opting for a song out of a video game soundtrack. The mature staccato beginning drew more people. I soon had a small crowd around me.

The stranger was impressed. The girl had once seemed so shy, so timid. Yet now she handled this small mass of bodies with a relaxed ease. Perhaps it was he that made her nervous…?

I had to admit, I was pleased with myself. So many hours, so many days had gone into practicing and perfecting these songs. It was endlessly satisfying to play rapid sixteenth notes without any trouble. I loved the feel of it, how my fingers trilled and made the notes lilt. It was as comforting as my usual stims. The forest theme ended on a literal low note.

The next song had also been in my head for days. It was cheery and the lyrics I remembered but did not sing were silly but moving. I kept going eagerly, the joyful notes resonating with my own feelings. The ending was a bit unexpected, but everyone seemed to like it anyway. I then noticed someone had placed a tin can on the piano. When did that get there…?

A little girl asked me if I had any more happy songs. My fingers jumped up and down with more staccato. Luckily, the title of the song fit the weather that day. This one was long, going on further than anyone anticipated. Mr. Blue Sky had no clouds, and for once my thoughts didn’t either.

The left hand hurriedly played the bass clef, right handling its chords. I hit the trace notes carefully. I got a driving rhythm going. The cheerful middle made the children laugh. The recurring leitmotif was simple but pleasing to the ears. I tapped out the final notes.

I began to feel more sentimental. This reminded me of when I’d play for my family during the holidays. They didn’t crowd around me, but they could hear. My grandfather was always encouraging. I swung in some eighth notes, playing a sweet, thoughtful tune. A few people began to drift away as the mellow tune faded, leaving a sad grin upon my lips.

My eyes drifted across the people who were left. My heart jumped as I spotted my friends behind me. I received some nods and thumbs-up. Spirits were lifted again.

“...perfect for a summer’s day,” I heard someone say. A song popped into my head, the movie it hailed from ringing in my brain. It fitted perfectly with my predicament.

“One Summer’s Day,” I announced. Nostalgic chords lit the air. The notes were spirited away, the melody soft and hinting of sweet memories. The eighth notes picked up a bit, calming back down. It was slow, and came to a slow end.

I ended my performance with another nostalgic song. It would have been instantly recognized back on Earth. But here, no one sang along. My smile faded. The tears threatened to well up again. I pushed them back down.

The stranger made a decision. He left the scene.

The applause startled me, making me jump. I could hear Prompto cheering behind me. My face flushed, warming even more in that heat. Once the crowd had dissipated, the boys surrounded me in their place.

“That was amazing!” Prom praised. Gladio gave me a hard pat on the back that left me coughing.

“Very impressive,” Ignis said. Noctis nodded in agreement.

“Anything else you can do?” he asked. As I thought, Prom and Gladio looked at the contents of the tin can that had been set on the piano.

“Uhh…” I vocalized dumbly. “I can sing the entirety of ‘It’s the End of the World As We Know It’...?”

They didn’t know what that was.

“I’m a decent writer, I guess.”

“Hey!” Prompto exclaimed. “There’s at least a thousand gil in here!”

“That’s a bit much for one performance…”

“Not bad,” Gladio commented. “Neat talent you got there.”

“At least we’ve got some more money,” Noctis said. I wondered how it felt for him to be broke for the first time in his life.

“Actually, I was thinking we should let ______ keep it,” Ignis told him. “She did earn it herself after all.”

“No, that’s okay!” I blurted, hands waving in a ‘no thanks’ fashion. “I didn’t even put that can there! I just wanted to play.”

“But it’s still yours,” Noct said. “And we got enough from selling stuff. You should keep it.”

The small tin was passed to me. I looked down at the coins inside. They varied in size, some the size of nickels, some were as big as fifty cent coins. I poured them into my hand, reading the different labels and values. It did indeed count up to a thousand gil. There must not be many street performers in Lestallum.

“Well,” I said, “if it’s okay, could I stop and get something before we to?”

We rode off towards the waterfall, a new book in my hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had Dear Reader been in the game, her theme would sound something like this: https://youtu.be/T3ituPlrNCY


	10. How To Get A Hot Body: Set Yourself On Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dear Reader begins her training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly just a filler chapter. The next one will be full of plot and character relationship building (yay!). So stayed tuned ‘cause you know who’s coming in next >:)
> 
> also the emotional scenes after the break were inspired by the emotions I felt after watching the Prologue

“It’s easy. Just imagine the sword in your hand and it’ll be there.”

Noctis was trying to teach me to use his family’s magic, which he could pass on to people if he wanted. It was how the other three didn’t have to physically carry their weapons around. I was skeptical, mostly because magic doesn’t exist on Earth.

It was the day after my piano performance. The boys had spent the rest of it doing one hunt and then looking for a campsite. There were a few more beasts to slay, but since we had the time, Gladio and Noct were fulfilling their promise to Cor in teaching me how to fight.We had gone over basic self defense beforehand. I was already aching. Being afraid of pain certainly did not help.

It wasn’t going well.

“Okay, so…” I stuck a hand out. “Like this?”

An image of a weapon appeared in my mind. The sword Noct was holding appeared in my hand. I wasn’t expecting it to be so heavy. I was dragged toward the ground as it fell with a clank. Hissing, I struggled to lift it again.

“So we’ve got that down,” Gladio said. “But actually using it is going to take a lot more work.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Since you’re the tiniest one here, we’re gonna start with something simple.”

He instructed me to hold my dominant hand, which held the sword, out. I placed my right foot forward, pointing it to the middle of the now empty campsite. With Gladio’s directions, I began to make slow cuts using just my wrist. It surprised me how much effort this actually took. My forearm was not built for this.

“This is… This actually kinda hurts,” I bit. I kept going until I was told to stop. My arm stung with aches.

“Alright,” Gladio said. “Now I’m going to come at you with some easy blows. Do your best to block ‘em.”

My eyes went wide. “But- But what if you hurt me?”

“How many times I gotta tell ya? You’re going to get hurt anyway. Might as well get used to it.”

I let out a small sound that was a mixture between a whine and a whimper. Bracing myself, I waited to be knocked down once more. He swung down. I brought my arm up, supporting my hand with the other one. He came in from the side. I did my best to meet it, but I was a bit slow. He almost hit me.

“Uh, Gladio, dontcha think you should show her the rights cuts first…?” Noctis asked.

“The best way to learn is by doing,” the shield said, trying another side cut. We did a few more rounds of that before he specified just what I was doing. Then he put me against Noctis. “Just those four, nothing fancy, okay, Highness?”

Prompto and Ignis watched from the sidelines as the long stick Noct was using hit me repeatedly. This continued for a very long while. Noctis would give me tips, Gladio would help with positioning. By the time we were ready for another hunt, I was already feeling exhausted.

“Can I just… stay here?” I asked, draping my legs over the edge of the runes.

“Gotta put those skills to the test,” Gladio said.

“Didn’t I just do that?”

I was made to follow as they walked. But then…

“Woah, that’s a cool rock!” I exclaimed, rushing in the direction of some pointed stones with yellow energy crackling from them.

“Wait, don’t touch-” Noctis was cut off by me bending over the rock and going to poke it. Suddenly the yellow stuff was absorbed into my hand. A few strands of my hair stood on end. It was like an electric current had thought I was a good conductor. It soon faded. I stared at my fingers dumbly. “No way…”

“What was that?” I asked, waggling my fingers.

“It would seem…” Ignis said, “that healing is not the only magic you possess.”

“More magic? Then what was that, electricity?”

“Yeah, but,” Noct stuttered, “only- I thought only my family could do that.”

“Everyday you become more of an enigma,” Ignis told me.

“There’s more over there!” Prompto pointed in the opposite direction. “See if that works, too.”

I absorbed the blue energy from the next rock. It was freezing. I shuddered as the effect wore off. The last rock made me feel hot. Red sparks came from it. Ice and fire, then.

“More training for ya,” Gladio said. “Good to know.”

I could feel the different elements coursing through my body if I really paid attention. It was ready to be called at any moment. Noctis told me he could do the same, but had to put his magic into flasks to be able to use it. There had been an accident when he was young that hindered his abilities.

“But you might be able to use it fully,” he said. “Could be useful, having a mage on our team.”

I smiled brightly at the title.

 

“I THOUGHT YOU SAID YOU COULD HANDLE THIS!” I exclaimed, heart pounding in my chest. Ignis was not looking good. Prompto wasn’t much better, but at least he was standing. Iggy, though… Bruises painted his skin, gashes from the spiracorn’s horns littering his arms and a few were on his sides. There had been too many of them. I rushed forward, hand glowing teal.

“_______, no,” Ignis protested, coughing. He had ended up taking blow after blow for the others. Several times he had helped Prompto from danger. “A hi-potion will fix the problem.”

Gladio held me back. A few curatives and Ignis was looking much better. I escaped the shield’s grasp and pressed a finger to Prompto, who was accidentally blocked by a tree. The feeling of being hit hy a car caused me to double over. I felt like vomiting. Prom and Noct helped me to stand.

“For goodness’ sake, you can _not_ take it upon yourself to heal us when it can be avoided,” Ignis scolded. My throat felt tight. A few tears escaped. Dammit, why do I keep crying? “There is a reason we keep medicine on hand.”

“I know, but…” My voice was scratchy. “I can’t bear to see any of you in pain.”

They were silent for a second.

“That doesn’t change the fact that it hurts you to help us,” Noctis spoke up. “And you can hardly bear it yourself. Hell, you almost passed out from healing Cor.”

“I just… want to help…” I sobbed. “I can’t _do_ anything else.”

“You are helping!” Prompto was quick to say.

“It’s nice enough to have someone who cares like you do on our side,” Gladio reassured.

“Just… take it easy, okay?” Noct said.

“We know how to take care of ourselves,” Ignis said softly. “You are _not_ a burden to us, whatever you might believe.”

This day had gone from good to bad in what felt like ten seconds. This was the third hunt today. I had already exhausted myself from training and healing some minor wounds from the first two. All I wanted was to help. It had almost been a week and my thoughts were tormenting me with the feeling of annoyance. Like I was holding them back, getting on their nerves, no matter how kind they were.

 _Might be better for you to leave,_ my brain said. _Stop hindering them. They know what they’re doing. Why on Earth would they need you? Find that guy. Maybe he’ll help. Or you could die-_

_Not. Helping._

“I’m sorry!” I whispered, attempting to stand on my own. I could do it, but only just. The sun was starting to set. I stared at the ground instead of the sky.

“Don’t be,” Noctis ground out. “Why do you have to apologize all the damn time?”

_Because I always view myself as a nuisance and that everything I do is a mistake so I feel the need to apologize due to this crippling fear._

“Anxiety, I guess,” I mumbled.

They let me take a few more minutes before heading back to the campsite. Ignis wouldn’t let me help with dinner. My eyes were glued to the fire as the others talked and bantered. I had my newly beloved blanket around me. It helped keep the panic attacks at bay. I had been doing so well. They let me join in their fighting for a few brief moments. I managed to do better than when fighting Gladio and Noct. Fighting tends to be easier when the other party actually wants to hurt you.

“Hey, you alright?” Noct’s voice cut my thoughts. I nodded slightly, not feeling like speaking. He sat down next to me. “We don’t mean to be so hard on you. We’re just… Uh…”

“Not wanting me to get hurt since I’m not from this world and thus can’t die until we figure out what’s going on?” I finished quietly.

“It’s… more than that, but yeah. I know you wanna help, but there isn’t really much to help with, y’know?”

A pain hit my heart like an arrow. He was right. I _knew_ he was right. But it didn’t help my mental state. If I wasn’t helpful or doing _something_ useful, then wasn’t I just dead weight? Why didn’t they-?

“Why didn’t you leave me at Lestallum then?” I whispered, scared to speak louder in case they heard the extent of my emotions. My throat was tight and dry again.

“That’s not- I didn’t mean that, I just…” He sighed, frustrated. “Dammit, why is this so hard?”

“He means you shouldn’t see us as your responsibility,” Ignis said. “We understand that you’re grateful and that you wish to return the sentiment, but there isn’t any need to do so.”

“Yeah!” Prompto piped up. “That’s what friends do!”

“You really… see me as a friend?” I asked in disbelief. “Even though you hardly know me?”

“Well, yeah,” Noct said. “‘S’hard not to. You’re so… nice. It’s kind of off putting…”

“Too nice for my own good, yeah, I know.”

That managed to get them to laugh. It was true, though. Some might say it’s a good thing, but really, it could easily be taken advantage of. I was lucky these guys had good hearts.

“But really… I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you all enough.”

After dinner, Noctis and I headed a bit off the camp ground. He was going to show me how to use the elemental magic I had absorbed earlier. I could still feel it flowing, though it wasn’t uncomfortable. I just had to ignore it.

“Alright, so, the way I make the flasks should be enough to start,” Noct said. “You already feel it inside of you, right? Kinda like a current.”

I nodded.

“Right, so just… try to focus that current into one of your hands.”

“Like I’m using the Force?”

“The what?”

“Nevermind. So…”

I tried tapping into the energy. It was difficult to redirect it, but I managed to shove some into my right hand. It was glowing a faint yellow. But then it faded.

“Uh, you gotta keep the focus,” Noct said.

“Oh. Right.”

I made my hand glow yellow again. It stayed that way this time. Will sheer force of will, it was pushing against the control I had over it. Noct told me to aim and let go. My eyes landed on a bush nearby. Using the hand motion my friend had demonstrated, I let go of the energy and-

_C R A C K_

I whipped around to find I had electrocuted a tree behind me. It was now on fire.

 _I can’t start a forest fire!_ I thought, panicking. _What would Smokey Bear think?_

“Uh… I mean, that’s one way to do it,” Noct said.

“I was aiming for a bush…”

“Alright so, try and control how much you put out.”

I tapped into the ice magic and thrust my hand at the burning tree. A few snowflakes appeared but nothing else happened. My shoulders dropped. I tried again. Nothing but more flurries. I groaned in frustration. Noct came over to demonstrate with an actual flask. We continued practicing until we heard daemons nearby. Then we scurried back up the Oracle Runes. Another hour of silently listening to my friends talk and it was time for bed.

I was the last to head inside the tent. Stargazing was becoming a habit if I couldn’t sleep. Noct stayed with me for a while. We watched the daemons in the distance prowling around. I told him about demons in my own world. He admitted they sounded a heck of a lot scarier than the ones he was used to. Possession and not being able to control oneself didn’t sit right with either of us. I read my new book for a while after he went to bed.

I now had two books. One about Eos’ history in general, the second about Solheim. Their ruins dotted the Lucian landscape, from castles to supposed resting places. They had seen fire as a symbol of life, which caught the attention of Ifrit the Pyreburner. But when they began to spurn the gods, he grew angry and brought down the meteor to kill the very people who had once worshipped him. I thought that was a bit dramatic. Didn’t he know civilizations change over time? That not everything is set in stone? I guessed not.

I only decided to sleep when I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. I curled up in the back right corner and drifted off into the realm of dreams.

Gladio woke me up the next morning. I stayed lying down for awhile until I checked the time. It was close to eleven. I shook Noctis awake. If I was up, then he had to be up. He groaned and yawned.

“Alright, alright,” he said. “I’m awake. I’m up.”

We exited the tent together and joined the other two for breakfast. Then Gladio and Noct had me training again with more swords and magic. I managed to light the campfire unnecessarily. It was a start. Then we found the car and drove off to the waterfall Talcott told us about.

It was a short walk from the highway to the waterfall that felt like forever. There was a giant cobra at the bottom of the path that we narrowly avoided and then some big crabs attacked us. I asked them why all their animals were so damn big. No one had a good answer. Finally, we came to the waterfall. Clear blue water roared down a steep cliff into a small river below. The rocky wall was slick and moss was growing under foot. I liked the earthy, wet scent for some reason. It was a pleasant change from the hot humidity outside.

“The legend says to look behind the waterfall,” Prompto said as Noct led us around it.

“And what does the waterfall say?” Ignis asked jokingly.

“I think it says… ‘come in’!”

I laughed.

“Waterfall is the opposite of firefly,” I quipped. Noct halted, turned, and stared at me.

“Don’t,” he said. “Not today.”

“Brown is just a mix of every color.”

“Stop.”

“The brain named itself.”

“Seriously.”

“Tea is just lear water and coffee is bean water.”

“I am this close to leaving you here.”

“...Fine.”

Luckily, there was an entrance just behind the wall of water. We stepped inside. I thanked the Astrals for sending me here with a jacket. The inside of the cave was frosted. Cool air drifted from further in. The circle flashlight they had given me to clip to my jacket flicked on.

“Double back for our coats?” Prompto suggested.

“What’s the point?” Gladio said. “A little chill won’t kill ya.”

“Unless it’s hypothermia or frostbite,” I added cheerfully.

“Not helping.”

“Well, looking on the bright side,” Prompto said, “maybe the cold keeps the daemons at bay?”

“Yeah, because monsters like warmth,” Gladio retorted.

“Ah. Sarcasm.”

We were greeted with what looked like blue Grimers from Pokemon. I did my best to slash at them, but the space was so small, I was afraid I’d hurt one of the guys. With five of us, they were soon gone.

“Oh, lovely,” I muttered when we came to an icy slide. “I’ve always wanted to ride a fun slide to my death.”

“Can it and go,” Gladio ordered. I sat on the edge and inched my way onto the ice. The ride down wasn’t actually that bad. I flew into Noctis at the end, though.

“Sorry,” I groaned, hauling myself to my feet. We were now in an ice hell of a cave. “Guess hell really did freeze over.”

My friends laughed. Noct began to lead us through various halls and rooms. Several times we got lost. Lots of daemons came to say hello and we were having none of it. I healed a few cuts, and shot some sparks at blue Grimers that did nothing but provoke them. When we came to a ledge to cross, I was ready to nope the heck out.

“Yeah, I think I’ll stay here,” I said.

“Not a chance,” Gladio said. “We’ll keep you in the middle. If you fall, Noct will catch ya.”

I had never been so afraid in my life as I slowly scooted across the frosted ledge. I almost lost my footing at one point. Gladio kept me up and Ignis helped me down when we reached the other side.

“I really hope we don’t have to do that again,” I breathed. My heart was racing. They let me (and Prompto) calm down before moving on. Speaking of Prompto, we stuck close together. He was frightened of what could be in the cave and I was nervous and on edge. We did our best to calm each other.

I think we all sighed in relief when the end of the cavern was in sight. A royal tomb did indeed lie there. We just had to traverse one small room before getting to it.

We were promptly attacked by what looked like mini Cthulhus. More blue Grimers and these sparky balls of living ice joined them and it was utter chaos. I was slashing left and right, trying to remember the tips my friends had given me. I watched the others for signs of distress. I wouldn't let them get hurt, not on my watch. Unfortunately, one of the Cthulhus was targeting me specifically. I tried to run around him. He blocked my way and began to corner. I swung at the tentacles trying to harm me. My energy was draining. Was he sapping my lifeforce? Oh, _hell_ no. Not today, Satan.

My mind was in a frenzy with the will to live and the Gen Z wish of death combatting endlessly. My vision was hazy, the floor starting to sway beneath me. I took my sword in both hands and raised it up to challenge the Elder God before me.

“Don’t fuck with me!” I shouted. “I have the power of God _and_ anime on my side!”

“What-” someone started. I interrupted them with a loud screech and charged the mindflayer. I managed to get him back a few steps and quickly darted to the left so I was free once more.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Gladio praised. Prompto hit the monster with a few well aimed shots. Ignis marked a spot that Noct came to hit. They let me land the final blow. All the daemons were gone.

“The hell did you shout at it?” Noct asked.

“A Vine,” I said proudly. “A meme. And I have no regrets.”

Noctis unlocked the royal tomb. When he retrieved its corresponding weapon, another image of the black haired man in white entered my mind. He entered a house with a rabid human inside. The same black vapor that came from the daemons was coming from her. The vision ended when the man pulled his hood back.

We all observed the three royal arms circle Noctis and disappear. Gladio patted him on the back. I asked how it felt.

“Kinda weird,” the prince answered. “Like the actual magic is manifesting itself.”

The way out of the cave was much easier. No crossing ledges, no daemons, no steep natural ramps to walk up. Finally the end was in sight. Our eyes were met with the setting sun. It felt nice to be out in fresh air again, though I’d miss the cold. Noctis suddenly cried out in pain and clutched at his head.

“Noct, you okay?” Prompto and I were quick to rush to his side.

“What did I…” he groaned. “Where was that?”

“What is it?” Gladio asked.

“A hole in the ground… something burning… the Meteor?”

“You saw the Disc of Cauthess?” Ignis gasped. They decided to get back to Lestallum. The only problem we had was stopping along the way to find somewhere to sleep. Another campsite. Joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the Prologue, right? I’m gonna fucking FIGHT Somnus. I knew he’d be a dick but I didn’t imagine _that._ Poor, poor Ardyn.  
> The DLC looks sick, though. I’m super hyped to finally play as Ardyn and FIGHT SOMNUS. Also we get more of Darin’s Ardyn voice and that’s always a plus.


	11. In meō vitae lucem adducis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dearest Reader and co. meet Handsome Stranger and go for a ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “You bring the light in me to life.”
> 
> Hell YEAH this is the moment that started this whole fic. I’ve been waiting to write this chapter for like, half a _year_. So I hope it’s worth this whole multi chapter ordeal.  
> Also, a few things:  
> 1) This is by far the longest chapter yet. I would’ve split it in half, but I feel it’s much better to keep it all together like this. So I hope you enjoy it!  
> 2) I wrote this day before the Prologue came out, so... knowledge of Aera was nonexistent... do with that what you will.  
> 3) The dips into third person are not accidental. It might be a case of bad writing or whatever, but it is to show Ardyn’s point of view. Please keep that in mind.  
> Alright sorry for the long intro. Let’s go.

“Prince Noctis!” Talcott exclaimed when he saw us. “Welcome back.”

“Your story came to a happy end,” Ignis told him.

“No ladies in lakes, though,” I said. As we entered the hotel, Noctis received another throbbing headache. “Noct?”

“What’s the matter?” Iris asked, concerned. “You alright?”

“He’ll be fine, don’t worry,” Gladio said, waving her away. “But we oughta take a closer look at this so-called Disc.”

I bounced in excitement at the thought of seeing the Meteor in person. An actual _meteor. From space._ And it was such an important part of their history, too! Ignis smiled at my enthusiasm.

“Then look no further than the outlook,” Prompto said. “We can use the viewer things!”

“No substitute for being on site, but it would be a start,” Iggy reasoned. “Let’s see what we can glean of Noct’s condition.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” I prompted, clutching my history book. “There’s no time like the present!”

It felt nice to be myself again. I had finally started getting used to my new friends and judging their reactions. For once, it was me leading them. They asked me what I had learned about the Disc. I told them it’s where Titan caught the Meteor and that the size of it probably would’ve wiped all life had it met its destination. Like the dinosaurs. That scared them a bit, but my excitement washed it away as we neared the outlook.

“There!” I called out, spotting the viewer things. “You can even see it from here!”

Prompto and I made to rush to get a good view, and him some good pictures, but I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw the person who was already there.

Handsome Stranger turned to greet us as we approached. My heart leapt into my throat. My whole body was humming in further excitement. I had been waiting to see him again after our last meeting.

“What a coincidence!” he said. I smiled.

“I’m not so sure it is,” Gladio growled, suspicious. I gave him a glance. His guard was up, a stern expression on his face. Handsome Stranger began to walk towards us. My heart fluttered at the thought of being closer.

“Aren’t nursery rhymes curious things?”

His question caught us all off guard. When no one answered, I spoke up. “Uh, I guess…?”

He granted me a grateful and knowing grin. Yeah, he definitely could hear my heart pounding.

“Like this one.” He recited a rhyme about the Archaean, who I guessed was Titan. As he did so, he continued his way, causing us to split our group down the middle. I had the urge to keep up, so I moved my way around the others. “The King made to kneel, in pain, he crawls.”

“So how do we keep him on his feet?” Prompto asked. H.S. reached the edge of the outlook.

“You need only heed the call. Visit the Archaean, and hear his plea.”

He dramatically turned around.

“I can take you.”

 _Oh, yes, please!_ I thought eagerly. I turned to my friends for approval. They didn’t look convinced as they made a small half circle to go over our options. I listened as they decided to go along with it, but keep caution close. As they spoke, I looked to the strange man again. He winked at me. My face instantly felt uncomfortably warm. The heat traveled up my neck to cheeks and ears.

“...let’s do it,” they concluded. I brought my attention back to my friends. My soul was thrumming happily at their decision.

“I’m not one to stand on ceremony, but such an occasion calls for an introduction,” our guide said. “Please, call me Ardyn.”

I bristled silently. _This_ was why he wouldn’t tell me his name? It sounded familiar. Had I heard it somewhere before? It was like the word ‘ardent’, so I figured that must be it. I followed him closely as he led us up the stairs.

“Come with me to the car park. That’s where I left my automobile. She’s a dear old thing. Pales next to your Regalia, but she’s never let me down.”

_Wait, how does he know what car we have?_

“So, we take two vehicles - a convoy of sorts. Shall we?”

I absolutely _adored_ how this man spoke. Eloquence was a weakness of mine, it would seem.

A minute passed in silence before Ardyn spoke again.

“Ah, I do believe I never heard your name, either, my dear,” he addressed me. I startled a bit, not expecting to be singled out while with my friends.

“Oh, um,” I stuttered. “It’s ______.”

He repeated softly, like it had some great power. “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”

I could practically feel the tension from the boys. It radiated off them like a nuclear generator. They clearly did not like and/or trust this man. I couldn’t help but give him a chance. It’s what I’d do for anyone, but especially him. I desperately wanted him to be someone we could rely on (and see again).

His rugged red hair shined in the sunlight. When I saw his face, he looked so calm and collected. Every so often he’d glance my way, as if to make sure I was still there. He was utterly enchanting. I wondered how long it would take to get to the Disc. Hopefully it’d take some time. I wanted to get to know Ardyn as much as possible.

Ignis nudged Noct, alerting him to my new infatuation. The prince narrowed his eyes. His retainer whispered to keep an eye on me and he nodded. They don't suspect me of being in cahoots, but if I let anything slip, it could end poorly. But their main concern was keeping me safe.

Ardyn’s car was red with a white stripe running down the middle. Like the Regalia, it was also a convertible. I guessed people just really like those in this world. Noct pulled me behind him, causing me to sag in disappointment. I must have looked peeved because Ardyn sent me yet another smirk. And my heart had just begun to calm down.

“All set?” he asked. “Allow me to do the honor of assigning your driver…”

_What? Why?_

I might be incredibly attracted to this man, but that did not mean I was without reason. What was the point of picking someone to drive?

He chose Noct. Predictable. Yep, he knew who my friends were. Greaaat.

“What if I drive your car?” Noctis shot back, crossing his arms. I erupted into a fit of giggles. I tried to calm myself, but the image and the thought and the sheer nerve were just too amusing. “You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I gasped, catching my breath. “Noct, you can’t drive someone else’s car.”

“I can do whatever the hell I want.”

“The government says no.”

“Fuck the government.”

“Highness/Noctis, you _are_ the government.” Ignis and I spoke simultaneously. Ardyn chuckled a bit.

“You might find the rental fees to be more than you bargained for.”

“Burn,” I whispered. I was lightly elbowed. “Ow.”

“You drive your car, and I drive mine. With that decided, let us be off.”

“Alright, fine,” Noct agreed. He turned to find the Regalia.

“Oh, and before I forget…”

Noct whirled back around. “What now?”

“It must be awfully cramped for all five of you to ride together.”

That caught my attention. I perked up.

“Would you permit me to take your fair lady along with me? I’m sure she’d like a break from traveling with four boys.”

The heat returned to my face. My heart rate picked up speed. Did he really mean it?

“Yeah, when hell freezes over,” Gladio growled with sarcasm. I bit back my own smirk.

“Gladio, remember what I said yesterday,” I pointed out. He gave me a deadpan look.

“This is different. We’re not gonna let you ride with a stranger.”

“Gladio’s right,” Noctis said, nodding. “Too risky.”

“Might I remind you we were strangers when you let me come with you.”

They couldn’t really argue with that. Ignis sighed and told me to be careful. I smiled brightly. I mentioned that I also had my phone (which now had signal somehow since we were near civilization), so if anything happened, I’d let them know. That seemed to quell their fears for the time being. I turned happily to Ardyn. He dipped his head and told them we’d be waiting on the road.

“Thank you,” I said quietly as my friends walked to the Regalia. I was holding tightly onto my books once more.

“Oh, you’re quite welcome, my dear,” Ardyn answered, leading me to the passenger seat. “It must be tiring traveling with the prince and his advisors.”

“It’s not too bad. They’re really nice. And patient.”

He opened the car door for me. It surprised me a bit but I managed to thank him. Sitting in the front was a nice change from constant physical contact in the back. I sighed at the feeling of my personal space bubble rebuilding itself.

No words were exchanged as he drove to the road to wait for the guys. They followed along until we got to unknown territory. Then Ardyn pulled into the other lane so Noct could come up beside him. I waved.

“Just to be clear,” Ardyn instructed, “this isn’t a race, it is a chase. You’re not to pass me. Lose sight of me, and you’ll lose your way. And no tailgating. An accident would spoil the trip.”

“Alright, alright,” Noctis cut in, exasperated. “Let’s hit the road already.”

“As you wish. Drive safely, now.”

And so the road trip began.

 

The first few minutes passed by in silence. I turned to make sure they were following. Noct was a bit behind, but he was able to see us. I figured he was fine. I, on the other hand, was slowly beginning to panic. I didn’t know what to say or if I should say anything at all. My fingers fidgeted with the pages of my books to calm me. Would Ardyn speak first? Or should I? I subconsciously did the bouncing thing with my right leg. I stared out at the scenery around us, trying to ignore the pull in my chest, like a string being gently tugged.

“There’s no need to be so nervous,” Ardyn finally said. I stopped bouncing my leg. “You’re perfectly safe with me.”

“I, uh, I know,” I told him. “Er, I think s- I hope so, I- Agh…”

I sighed, ashamed of myself for being so damn awkward and unable to speak.

“I’m just… not very good at talking to people…”

He hummed in thought.

“So, uh, sorry if I seem kinda… I don’t know- weird, I guess. I don’t mean to be.”

“That much is obvious from our previous interactions.”

He was grinning now.

“You’re quite timid.”

“Ha ha… yeah… Sorry about that.”

“I hold nothing against you, my dear. Though you seem comfortable with those friends of yours. How long have you been accompanying them?”

_I expected him to ask about them… What do I say?_

I did a quick mental calculation on my fingers.

“Um… A little over a week,” I admitted. His head made a small jerk towards me.

“Only a week?”

“Mmhmm. They, ah, found me near Hammerhead. Which doesn’t have sharks. Disappointing.”

That managed to get a chuckle from him. _“Found_ you?”

_Shit what do I say? The marshal said not to tell people about my predicament but…_

I couldn’t help but trust him.

“Um, you can’t tell anyone else, but…” I paused. “I, uh, let’s just say I’m not from around here…?”

That intrigued him. What did she mean? Was she not from Lucis? What had she been doing in the middle of nowhere…?

“...Do you know the legend about the man who fell from the sky? And met the Oracle?”

Ardyn glanced at me. “You mean to say you have a similar origin?”

“Exact same, almost. I had this weird dream about an island and then woke up and I was falling. Noct and the others caught me. It sounds… really stupid out loud, but it happened, I swear.”

“So they’re taking you see the Oracle, then? How sweet.”

“Yeah, they really are. They seem to think the gods brought me here for some reason.”

His grip on the wheel tightened. “Is that so? And you trust me enough to give me such important and confidential information?”

“Well… I probably shouldn’t have, but I like giving people the benefit of the doubt. Also, it’s not like you could use it against me.”

“How so?”

“Well, you can’t threaten my home planet because you don’t know where it is or if it’s still there. And thus, you can’t threaten my family. You also can’t vow to keep me here ‘cause I don’t even know if I can even get back. And sure, you could use me for research, but it might be fruitless because again, there’s no telling where my home is or how far away it is. And I feel somewhat comfortable around you, so there’s that.”

I wasn’t going to tell him about my healing and magic abilities. That was too much.

“Hmm, so you’ve thought this through, then. Intelligence seems to be a rare find these days.”

I laughed a bit. “I wouldn’t say that. Maybe you’re not looking in the right place.”

“Perhaps.”

Another few minutes of easy silence went by. I checked behind us to see Noct keeping up. I gave them a wave and they returned it.

“So you’ve only been on Eos for a week?” Ardyn conversed. I nodded.

“A little over that, yeah.”

“I do hope your stay has been… hospitable.”

I nodded again. “Mostly, yeah. The guys seem to like camping, though. Can’t say I’m a fan. The ground hurts.”

He laughed. “I’ve never been too fond of the outdoors, either.”

My soul was pulsing with tranquility. I liked being with Ardyn. He had a calming presence I didn’t want to leave. I wondered if he’d mind me talking a bit more.

“I’ve been learning a lot about your history, too,” I said, gazing down at my books. “One of their friends gave me a book. I bought the other one.”

“I did hear you speaking rather animatedly to your friends. Is there a specific time period you’re interested in?”

I smiled, happy he was willing to talk. I usually don’t like doing much of the interactions with others but again, I liked being with Ardyn.

“Solheim and the forming of Lucis,” I said excitedly. Ardyn’s calm aura transitioned to a slightly tense neutrality. “Mostly because of the mystery of it and also because I just like ancient civilizations. There’s so much they don’t know and a few gaps in the story. I’m determined to figure it out.”

“Gaps…?”

“Yeah, for example, this book,” I patted the tome Cid had given me, “mentions a healer of the Starscourge but that’s all he gets. A mention. It said no primary source could be found with a name and Ignis told me it’s really just a myth and that the healer was probably the first king of Lucis, Somnus, but I don’t think so.”

My gaze returned to Ardyn. He… did not look happy. In fact, he was trying to hide some negative emotion. His knuckles on the steering wheel were turning white.

“Um, I can talk about something else if you like. Or not at all. I’m good at that.”

“You don’t believe Som- you don’t believe the first king to be true?”

“Ah, well, not exactly. I just think he and the healer were two different people, maybe brothers or something. Personally, I don’t like Somnus very much. Don’t know why.”

My admittance amused him. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly. He asked me how I knew I didn’t like the first king.

“There was this… statue of him or something we found. When I looked at it, I just got this bitter feeling, like he had done something wrong. Ignis called him noble and I scoffed. I didn’t get a noble feeling from him. Just… anger.”

Ardyn hummed but said nothing. More time passed and he became relaxed again.

“You have quite the talent,” he broke the silence to say. I made a questioning noise. “Your little performance in Lestallum, it was very impressive.”

“O-oh, you- you saw that?” I sputtered, blushing. “I just, ah- I miss home, y’know, and music’s always… I needed to play. I see a piano and I just- have to play.”

“Music is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? Bringing people together, from every age and every land.”

If I hadn’t been smitten before, I sure was now.

“And you, darling, have a gift. It is no small feat to bring joy to everyone’s hearts in such a way.”

My blush intensified, reaching my ears again.

“I had good teachers…” I mumbled.

“But they only do a small portion of the work. The rest is all you. Do give yourself credit, dear. There may come a time when no one else does.”

Was he speaking from experience?

“So, um,” I said. “What about you?”

“Hmm?”

“What- what kind of things do you like to do?”

“Oh, I’m afraid I’m quite boring. Reading, mostly. And work causes me to travel quite a bit.”

“What do you do? For work.”

The smirk returned. “Nothing overly important. I merely oversee a few things.”

“What kind of things?”

He chuckled. “This and that. I’m sure you’ll get to see in due time.”

_Deflecting the question, eh? What is he hiding?_

The rest of the drive was spent talking of various subjects. Any questions I asked about Ardyn himself were answered vaguely or brushed off entirely. As much as I hated the feeling, I started to get suspicious of just who this guy was. His presence was a welcome one, and my heart was already taken, but my mind was keeping its distance, not sure of what I felt towards him.

Around mid-afternoon, Ardyn pulled over into one of the gas station outpost places. There was no sense as to why. Surely we had enough time to make to the Meteor. I sent Ardyn a questioning a glance. He winked at me.

“What say we call it a day here?” he asked the boys.

“‘What say’ we continue on to Cauthess?” Gladio suggested impatiently.

“The Archaean’s not going anywhere!”

I giggled a bit and Ardyn looked proud of himself. Everyone exited their respective rides. I went to rejoin my friends, a bounce in my step.

“Neither are we under your stewardship,” Ignis proclaimed. I laughed more. Savage, Iggy.

“So we make camp,” Prompto said somewhat bitterly, “with _Ardyn.”_

“Hell no,” Noctis protested.

 _Camp again?_ I whined internally. I sent Gladio a pleading look which he never received.

“Might as well get the tent up,” he sighed.

“Oh, I’m afraid I’ve never really been one for the outdoors,” Ardyn said slowly. Thank God he was here or I would have restless sleep for the second night in a row. “I shall foot the bill, so let us stay at the caravan over yonder.”

Well, at least it wasn’t camping.

Once we had gotten situated, Gladio suggested I train some more. My shoulders drooped. My arms were sore from what I had already been doing. Was relaxing not in this guy’s vocabulary?

“Didn’t we do that this morning?” I complained.

“You need all the practice you can get. I’m not taking any chances of letting a daemon get you when we aren’t looking.”

“And what a welcome death it would be,” I muttered, dragging my feet over to him. He took me and Prompto out to an area just outside the station. I summoned the sword they had gifted me with. Gladio gave Prompto one. “Wait, why are you here?”

“He’s not as experienced as the rest of us,” Gladio told me. “So I figured it’d be good to let you two duke it out.”

I sighed in frustration.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on ya!” Prom said cheerfully. My eye twitched. Best get this over with.

“Please just end it for me now,” I called out. He lunged and I jerked in fear before remembering what to do. I barely managed to block. I cut from the left. He jumped back and tried another blow. I blocked again and swiped at him with the sword. This continued for several minutes until my footing said no and I stumbled.

“Ha!” Prompto won that round.

“How many times do I have to say: it’s left, then right,” Gladio instructed.

“Sorry, I kinda forget when someone’s _attacking me,”_ I retorted. I heard some people laugh behind us and turned to see everyone from our little group watching. Including Ardyn.

_Oh no, I’m making a fool of myself. What does he think of me?_

_Nothing good, that’s for sure._

“Again,” Gladio barked. I managed to keep my balance this time. “Prompto, watch your speed. If you’re too fast and focused on hitting, you won’t see what’s coming at you.”

I struck at my blonde friend with the practiced movements I had been taught. I quickly learned I was good at dodging and tried to use that to my advantage. I lunged. He parried. He slashed. I stepped away in a split second, the blade grazing my arm. I twisted myself around to counterattack.

“Watch yourself, ______! If you keep that angle, you’ll damage your nervous system.”

“I don’t have a nervous system!” I shouted, now frantically blocking. “I _am_ a nervous system!”

 _I’m here all night, folks,_ I thought as they laughed again.

My legs felt heavy by the time we were done. Both Prompto and I were panting as we trudged back to the caravan to sit down. I took my glasses off and let my forehead hit the table with a thud. My eyelids refused to open. I could sleep for a year. Or ten thousand. Give or take.

Footsteps trailed around me. Someone set something on the table. I lifted my head to see a water bottle and an Ignis. Prompto was already gulping his down. I did the same, but more slowly. Ardyn was standing not too far away and I did not want to embarrass myself further. I slipped my glasses back on. He observed with an ever amused expression, smirk present once again. It widened when he caught my gaze.

“So how was the ride over here?” Prompto asked me. I tore my gaze from Ardyn’s. I searched for the right word.

“Good,” I decided. “I am perfectly safe with a newly rebuilt personal bubble.”

Prom laughed. “That’s good to hear. He didn’t try anything, did he? We were really worried about you.”

His words touched my heart. I gave him a grateful smile.

“No, nothing,” I reassured him. “He was a perfect gentleman.”

Nearby, the man in question pretended not to hear.

When the sun began to set, Ignis went inside to cook dinner. Again, he wouldn’t let me help. Not just yet, anyway. I had a feeling he wanted to keep me away from knives for the time being. I didn’t blame him after the last accident I had. So instead I spent my time silently pining for the handsome stranger in the odd clothes. Sometimes he locked eyes with me for a few seconds. I always looked away first. He didn’t say much until night had almost fallen. As he spoke to the others of his travels, I went to check on Ignis.

“Everything okay in here?” I poked my head in the doorway. Iggy nodded.

“Everything is in order,” he said. “Though if you’re willing to help now, I wouldn’t mind.”

This time I watched the noodles spin around the pot while he did the vegetable cutting. However, his mind was lost elsewhere, his brows furrowed seriously. His chops weren’t even and I bit at my nails, worried. Was it Ardyn that had him on edge? I couldn’t imagine any other reason why he might be other than Noct’s headaches.

“Hey, Ignis?” I voiced. He turned his head toward me. “You okay?”

“Yes, I- Ah!” He hissed and I peered down to see he had cut his hand. A recurring event, it would seem. Though this one was worse than the one I had. “Blast…”

My right hand came up, glowing teal. “Here, lemme see.”

“_______, no, I can’t let you-”

“It’s just a cut. It’ll hardly do anything to me. Now come here.”

Ardyn chose that exact moment to step into the van. He watched curiously as the girl took Ignis’ hand and… By the gods… What had they done this time?!

I gasped as the sharp pain pierced my hand. It ebbed away slowly and soon everything went back to normal. Ignis was wiping the blood off his hand. I looked up to see Ardyn standing there, an unreadable expression written across his face that masked a bubbling fury. He was staring at me, no, at my _hand,_ which gave him a wave.

“Uh, I guess the secret’s out,” I said. Ignis jerked his head to face our visitor. “So ah… Yeah…”

A pregnant pause filled with tension. Then Ardyn stormed out of the van, going who knows where. All I had seen in his eyes was a madness filled with anger. What was wrong? Did he… not like my ability?

“Of course he came in at that exact moment,” Ignis muttered behind me. I turned back to him.

“I don’t think he meant to. Did you see how angry he was?”

“Angry? Livid would be more precise.”

“I’ll be right back.”

I stepped out into the cooling night air. Ardyn was nowhere to be found. I spotted Noct and the other two playing King’s Knight at one of the tables.

“Hey, did you guys see where Ardyn went?” I asked them.

“Uh, no,” Noct answered. “Why?”

“I think he went that way.” Prompto pointed out toward the darkening trees nearby.

“Thanks.” I followed his direction, not straying too far from the station. I gazed as far as I could, but saw no one beyond the trees. “Ardyn?”

No answer. I called again. Nothing. I sighed and went back. If he wanted to be alone, then I wouldn’t bother him. By the time he came back, Ignis and I had finished making dinner. Most of us were sitting at the table. I picked at my food, both hungry and not. I visibly brightened when Ardyn came into my field of vision.

“Hey, you okay?” I asked him. The soft smile he gave me warmed my heart and caught the others off guard.

“I’m just fine, my dear,” he reassured. “Though you did neglect to tell me of your… gift.”

Noctis and Gladio fumed.

“How do you know about that?” the latter interrogated.

“Iggy cut himself,” I said quickly.

“And you just _had_ to heal him?”

“It’s more efficient than using a potion! Which you need for other things, I might add.”

Noctis sighed. “Just don’t overexert yourself, okay? We don’t need you passing out again.”

“That was one time!”

Ardyn stared at the little healer coolly. The gods had brought her here for what purpose exactly? And to grant her such a power they had once given to him? Were they _trying_ to taunt him? Not to mention she had already exhausted herself before. He could feel his blood boiling at the thought of this innocent young woman meeting the same fate as he…

“That is no ordinary gift,” he stated lowly to her. “Healers like you should be revered for the services they provide. And should you find yourself underappreciated or cast aside, just remember it is not your fault but of those who scorn you.”

He turned on his heel to fix his own plate. Our gazes were glued to where he had been standing. A moment passed.

“The hell was that about?” Noct voiced. I shrugged.

“Personally I’m thankful to have such a gifted individual on our side,” Ignis said. I blushed and shrunk into myself.

“Guys…” I trailed, not liking all the attention I was getting.

“Well, it’s true,” Gladio said. “Who’s gonna save us from all the explosions?”

“That’s your own damn fault for not running away when you had the chance!”

“But how would we _know?”_ Prompto teased. “All they do is sit for a moment and then BAM! We’re all a burning mess and you’re sprinting over to help.”

Our guide stepped back out to join us.

“Maybe if you thought of your own safety instead of the victory you had, you’d be better off,” I commented.

“Yeah but every time we tell you we’re okay you heal us anyway,” Noct said. “Don’t stress yourself.”

“We’ve had this conversation before, yes, I get it, I’ll be more careful from now on and no, I don’t think of myself as too much of a hinderance anymore. Now eat your food; it’s getting cold.”

There were a few laughs at my aggravation. I really wished they’d take better care of themselves, though.

The rest of the evening was spent awkwardly listening to tales Ardyn told us. Noctis and his entourage showed clear signs of annoyance. I rested my head on one hand and tried to ignore their ever rising agitation. At one point, Ardyn swiftly spun around and attempted to lightly caress Prompto, who sat back and gave him a disgusted glare. I silently laughed, shoulders shaking.

When the night grew late, Ignis and Noctis pulled me aside.

“So uh, we get that you like Ardyn and all…” Noct said uncomfortably, shifting his weight to another foot.

“Just be careful and wary of him,” Ignis finished. “We don’t know his motivations or his origins.”

“Yeah, and he’s a creep.”

“He seems really nice to me…” I said. “But I know, I’ll be careful. And I don’t think he’s a creep. He’s just eccentric.”

“That’s how they get you,” Noct warned. “Just don’t come running if he harrasses you. There’s only so much we can do.”

“Noct, it’s her decision whether she acts on her feelings or not,” Ignis said.

“What feelings?” I sputtered.

“Seriously?” Noct said. “Everyone and their mother’s noticed how you look at him.”

My frame drooped. “I don’t mean to… I just… get this… I don’t know, it’s like… Agh, never mind.”

“Exercise caution,” Ignis said, “and you should be fine.”

When it came to sleeping in caravans, I opted to take one of the two couches which lined the sides. The quartet doubled in the beds, and I wasn’t about that. However, that left Ardyn sleeping across from me. I had lost my blanket. Gladio or Prompto had it, or at least that was my best guess. So I curled up into my jacket and failed at falling asleep for the umpteenth time.

I flipped to my other side, facing the back cushion. No one was snoring yet. Perfect moment to fall asleep. Fourteen minutes later and consciousness would not leave me. I exhaled loudly, irritated. My usual strategy of daydreaming yielded no results. My heart wouldn’t settle and metaphorical butterflies used my stomach as a tourist location. I turned back over.

Ardyn was lying on his back, a black hat covering his face. One leg crossed over the other. He seemed to be asleep. I spent another few minutes admiring him before closing my eyes again.

I thought back to what I told him in the car. What the hell was wrong with me? Why would I tell a complete stranger critical information about myself? There really wasn’t any excuse. He was calming and relaxing came easy around him, but was I really stupid enough to trust someone I didn’t know like that? Apparently I was.

I sat up, realizing dreams would come late. I checked the beds. Noct and Iggy were sound asleep. Prom and Glad shifted a bit, but were otherwise fine. Ardyn hadn’t moved. I slowly stood up. Like a deer in a meadow, I crept out of the van. A breath I didn’t know I was holding slowly eased out. The stars looked nice tonight. It was about fifty feet to get under the dim streetlight. I crossed my arms. My jacket was back inside.

_Why do I feel so emotional today? Is it Ardyn? Is it the Meteor? Am I just sensitive?_

The emotions I had been so adamantly evading piled up. The toll, however, was unavoidable. Staring at the stars had been helpful until now. No matter where in the universe anyone could be, there would always be a gorgeous cosmic view. There would be patterns to trace and planets and stars and whole galaxies are merely dots of bright light we can’t distinguish. But… I longed for something I recognized. A familiar constellation. The sight of Venus in the sky before any star. I wanted Jupiter and Uranus and Mars. The sun to shine brightly but not too bright. To gently warm the Earth in spring and cool in the fall. I wanted the thought of asteroids and shooting stars and the history of the moon and its craters you could see with a telescope. I wanted a blanket to spread on the grass and my mother to come out and look at the night sky with me even though we should be sleeping.

I wanted home. And it hurt. It hurt so much I thought I couldn’t take it. A dry lump caught in my throat yet again. My chest felt tight, eyes brimming with tears. A cold breeze blew by and my body shivered. I tried desperately to blink my thoughts away. But I couldn’t. Not when I hadn’t faced my own fears. The fears of never seeing home again. Never seeing my parents or my best friends. The sight of my cat in the morning. The wide backyard stretching to a small forest with a trail to walk through. The sparkling lake. My warm bed. Long nights spent reading or watching videos at late hours. Skype calls with my friends.

It was so cold here.

So cold.

And hollow.

I felt… hollow…

 

“Ah!” I jumped as a sudden weight was draped around my shoulders. My head whisked around to see… “Oh, hi, Ardyn…”

A deep laugh rumbled from his chest.

“It seems I am destined to startle you every time we meet,” he joked. The corner of my mouth twitched up. He had given me his coat. I gazed sadly at the ground. “Whatever are you doing out here all alone at such an hour?”

“I… I was, um…” The hoarse voice coming from me sent my mind grasping at thoughts for an answer. “Stargazing, I guess…”

I sniffed. Dammit. The last thing I needed was for him to see me crying. I subconsciously pulled the warm fabric around me closer. I didn’t dare look his way, fearing judgment. He stepped forward.

“Is everything alright, dear?” he asked in the softest tone. I nodded, a sure lie.

“I just…” No words volunteered to leave my mouth. I looked up at the sky, a heartbreaking smile painting my lips. I sighed. “The sky is nice.”

The crack in her voice yanked on his heartstrings.

“I just wish I could see something familiar.”

Another step.

“And I keep thinking that maybe if I look hard enough…” I swallowed. “...I’ll see home.”

The dam broke. I let out a sob, hand coming up to wipe the tears away. A hand fell on my shoulder. I couldn’t- I couldn’t take it. I missed home. I missed it so much. The deep breaths I took to calm down didn’t help. The small cries left my throat softly. Without much thought, my arms found their way him, he who stayed with me, and I found myself being comforted with the sweet scent of cinnamon. Fingers combed through the soft strands of my hair. He tugged me closer.

Perhaps, just for once, he’d let the light out to help again. But only for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp I cried a bit writing the ending. Yaaay...  
> I’m still working through the fact that Ardyn had a... for lack of a better word, girlfriend before all this. And since his Episode won’t be coming out for another month, I’m just going to roll with the story in my mind, but worry not! I most definitely _will_ be addressing Chancellor Coffee Bean’s prior engagement to Aera, and no, reader is not her reincarnation or whatever. Certainly not. I will be forced to tear the original pairing apart, and I have no qualms about it, so hang in there, guys. We’re in for a wild ride feat. Ardyn’s conflicted feelings. I am a woman on a mission.


	12. Why Does Nothing Ever...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are protective, Ardyn reveals a secret...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay seriously all of your comments have been making my LIFE. I never could have imagined it, it means so much to me how much you’re all enjoying this lil story of mine (it’s not little, but stilll). You’re all so nice and thoughtful and I thought you should know how great you are. Yes, you.
> 
> Idk if I’ll be able to outdo myself, but I’m gonna keep going with the intention of getting the story told in the best way I can possibly write. So hold on to your hats, cats, and bats. This chapter had to be split into two, so I’ll upload the next part later today or tomorrow. Let’s go.

“...hell did you… …coa-...”

“-merely………. perhaps if you paid more close attention…….”

I groaned, pulling the warm sheet of fabric closer to me. It smelled sweet, like some sort of spice. Couldn’t they quiet down a bit? I hadn’t gotten much sleep.

_It’s not even noon and they’re already arguing…_

Wait. I heard Gladio’s voice, but not Noct’s. Who was he arguing with, then? My sleep-addled brain told me worry about that later. For now, if Noct wasn’t up, then neither was I. A few moments of the people outside talking passed. I drifted into a doze, curling up on the cushion.

“Are you saying we’re not taking care of her?” came an angry shout that could only be Gladiolus’. The door to the caravan opened.

“Can you guys keep it quiet?” Sleepy Noctis asked. “We’re tryin’ to sleep here…”

“Take a look at ______. Tell me there’s isn’t something wrong with that picture.”

What? What was wrong? Was my hair more of a mess than usual?

“The hell?” Noct said, his voice still clouded with sleep. “Where’d her blanket go?”

I hid under the covers, but in like a cool and defiant way.

“Fight me, Noct,” I slurred, waiting for dreams to take me away once more.

“Isn’t that Ardyn’s coat?”

“What?” I opened my eyes. A dark gray met my vision. Ohhh. So _that’s >/i> where the cinnamon scent was coming from. “Oh!”_

I quickly sat up. Ardyn’s intricate coat was indeed what I thought had been a blanket. When did it get there? I didn’t even remember falling asleep. I scrambled through my thoughts for an explanation.

_“And I keep thinking that maybe if I look hard enough… I’ll see home.”_

OH. _Right._

“I didn’t even realize,” I said. I stood, wobbling a bit from sleep, and stumbled to the door where Noctis was standing. I carried the coat with me. “Where is he?”

“What the hell happened?” Noct asked. “Where’s your blanket?”

“No idea. I couldn’t find it.”

“So you just… accepted a coat from a stranger?”

“I don’t remember falling asleep so I still have no idea. Yesterday was a long day.”

“You can say that again.”

He let me pass through and followed behind. Gladio was standing at the table, Prompto sitting and Ignis looking on from beside the door. Ardyn was facing the Shield coolly, though he seemed a bit peeved by such commotion at such early hours. I didn’t blame him. I felt the same. The coat passed to him.

“Thank you,” I mumbled shyly. A real smile graced him.

“It is no problem at all, my dear,” Ardyn told me.

“Can you, uh, not call her that?” Prompto asked. “It’s kinda weird.”

I blushed furiously.

“Oh?” Ardyn practically sang. “I wasn’t aware it was bothering her.”

I buried my face in my hands, noticing my glasses were still inside. I’d retrieve them in a bit. Ignis caught my attention.

“Would you mind filling us in on what may have occurred last night?” he asked in a motherly tone. You know the one. The mildly interrogative one.

“Uh, sleep?” I answered.

“Try again,” Gladio growled, sounding very much like an overprotective dad.

“Don’t you guys think you’re being a bit… I don’t know, overreactive?”

A pause flew by.

“You’ve got a point, but still,” Noct said. “Remember what we told you?”

“Okay, it was late and I was having feelings and he was the only one awake,” I rambled. “I didn’t even know until he startled me by the gesture in question ‘cause it was cold out and-”

“You were outside?” Gladio scolded. “In the dark?”

“It wasn’t dark; there was a streetlamp.”

“Not the point. Something could’ve attacked you.”

“I thought that’s why you’ve been teaching me to fight.”

He crossed his arms, gritting his teeth but not saying anything.

“So, uh, is that it? Can I go back to sleep now?”

_Please let me escape this awkward silence._

“It’s too late for that,” Ignis said. “Breakfast is ready.”

“Why don’t you talk about it?” Prompto asked as I sat down. I lifted an eyebrow and asked him why I would do that. “Well, I mean, wouldn’t it help you feel better?”

I barked a laugh. “Talking about it? Ha, no, I prefer to internalize all my problems so they eat away at me from the inside until I’m unable to function in any way.”

Ardyn gave me a disapproving glance, sitting next to me. I could almost hear Gladio’s distaste for the action.

“Same,” Noctis said, taking my other side. “So, you think we have time to practice with the elemental magic after this?”

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t,” Ignis said, looking at our guide. “After all, the Archaean isn’t going anywhere.”

Noct and I picked at our food while Ardyn smirked.

“Take all the time you need,” he said. “And thank you very much for the meal.”

Practicing magic was fun. Practicing magic was _very_ fun. When I wasn’t focusing.

...Noct had managed to burn himself.

“Come here, Noct.” I smiled as I stalked towards him, hand glowing. He backed away.

“No, I can heal myself,” he protested. I increased my pace. “Dammit, stop.”

“Just let me-”

“-no!”

“Come here!”

“I said no!”

I chased him round the same area I had trained at with Prompto. We speed-walked in circles, never getting too close. My hand was outstretched, outlined with a dark turquoise, ready to do its job. A stupid smile etched into my face. Noct grinned slightly, not letting me get more than a couple inches within range.

“If you two are quite done acting like children,” Ignis pushed his glasses up, “I believe you were working on quantity and aim.”

It took a warning from Gladio to get us going. We isolated a small bush and I worked on lighting it on fire and putting it out with Blizzara. The grass all around the bush had gotten scorched, but not the plant itself. I groaned.

“Is that all this is good for?” I asked. “Changing temperature enough to harm? Can’t I make something solid from the ice? Like a snowball?”

“I wouldn’t doubt that you could,” Ignis said from the sidelines. “But practice makes perfect. Once you’ve mastered this, you can work on technique.”

Hell froze over again as my frustration caused the whole area to become dusted with frost.

 

“I’m sorry about them,” I told Ardyn as we continued the journey to the Disc. “They’re just… overprotective…”

“‘Tis fine,” he said, ever present grin on his face. “It is good to know you have friends who care about you so much after so short a time.”

_Yeah, it really is. I couldn’t be more thankful._

The first thirty minutes or so were spent in silence. It wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but it stood out enough that I decided to look up conversation topics for the socially awkward. Unfortunately, this world didn’t have the almighty Google. They did have Moogle, though, so I figured it was the same thing. The mascot on the webpage was a cute little white creature like the one on the shirt I wore. I searched for something to say.

I found nothing that wouldn’t seem obvious I was trying too hard. I groaned internally and looked to my books for help. I flipped to a page on the empire in Cid’s history book. Maybe this guy had a better understanding of how things in this world worked than my friends. They were biased, after all, and I certainly didn’t blame them whatsoever. I was starting to feel so myself after their home had been destroyed, but I still hadn’t been on Eos long enough to have strong feelings towards one side or the other.

A name on the page nearly made my heart stop.

_Ardyn Izunia._

I froze, limbs stiff. My eyes wouldn’t leave the words. They were glued to the spot on the page.

 _ **Ardyn.** That’s_ why it sounded familiar.

 _It’s okay,_ I thought, still not moving a muscle. _Maybe it’s a common name. Like Sarah or John._

In the corner of my eye, I watched him. He hummed a little tune, not a care in the world. No, there was no way. Not at all. There was no way _this_ man could be the chancellor of an entire empire. No. I refused to believe it.

The air shifted, and he immediately noticed it. Was something wrong? Had she read something ill mannered? He glanced at the page, trying to read what he could in a split second. The Empire of Niflheim. Oh. Well, that complicated things. Hopefully there wasn’t much mention of him.

“Is something bothering you?” he asked. “You seem tense, my dear.”

Tense? Yeah, I was tense. I was _reaaal_ tense. I tried burying the idea that I was in the car of one of my friends’ enemies. Nothing wrong with that. Nope. Nothing wrong with feeling incredibly attracted to said enemy either. Not a chance.

_Dammit, why is it always villains?_

I hadn’t answered. He spoke my name, causing my heart to palpitate in a way that felt wrong but was also so _right._

“U-uh, y-yeah,” I answered. “I mean, no. Nothing’s wrong. Just tired.”

Well, it wasn’t a lie exactly. Constant tiredness followed me like the oxygen I needed to live. Except I don’t need to be exhausted to be alive. But still.

I checked behind me. The guys were a ways behind, but kept up. Should I tell them…? Maybe Ignis had recognized his name, too. Maybe. But… If Noct is the _prince,_ shouldn’t he know the leaders of the people he’s at war against? That set my mind at a slight ease. If they hadn’t immediately recognized Ardyn, then perhaps it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

_You’re being paranoid again._

_I know, shut up._

I closed the book loudly. The need to think about something else dominated all thoughts. The moment we had shared last night forced its way to the forefront of my mind.

_But… If he's the enemy, why would he be so nice to me? ...Did I seriously give critical information to the chancellor of an entire nation?!_

“Are you sure?” Ardyn asked, concerned. “I’m afraid you have me worried with that expression…”

Expression? I supposed I looked mortified. I did my best to calm down, taking silent deep breaths to keep the anxiety away.

_This is why we can’t have nice things._

“Um, so you said you travel a lot, right?” I asked, more to distract myself than him. “Have you ever seen any Solheim ruins?”

I received an uneasy look from him, but the question managed to get him talking. The more words he said, the better I felt. While he told me of a place near somewhere called Caem, a weight lifted off my chest. His voice soothed me in a way I’d never experienced before. Describing it… would be difficult. It was almost like he repeatedly assured me of my safety and quelled my worries without actually addressing them.

A break in his talk left room for a question to me. He asked about my interest in history, and about the stories my home world held. That got me feeling like myself again and I animatedly recalled my Norse myths, eagerly speaking of Loki and his mischievous escapades. I told him the story of Thrym and Thor’s hammer, which got a laugh at the image of a large, burly man in a wedding dress and somehow not being found out. I told him of Ragnarok, Loki’s imprisonment, which made him lock his jaw in place, and how Odin was granted the knowledge of runes at Mimir’s Well.

“A bit extreme for the knowledge of writing,” Ardyn said, “but admirable nonetheless.”

“You haven’t heard of Prometheus,” I told him. Norse switched to Greek and Roman. “Y’know, Eos is actually the goddess of the dawn where I’m from.”

“And these are all considered myth?”

“Yep. Nowadays, at least. Back then, they were worshipped like any other god or gods. Although… The Greek gods supposedly lived on top of a very climbable hill and no one ever bothered to check if they were actually there.”

He laughed. “Our own gods are rather spread out. The Archaean down here in Lucis, the Glacian up north.”

“And Ramuh at Angelgard?”

His grip on the wheel tightened. “Yes, that’s not a bad guess as to where he might lay.”

“I had a weird dream about Angelgard before I came here. It was crazy.”

_Stop. You’re making things worse. Stop telling him personal information!_

“Is that so?” Ardyn asked, teeth gritting. His plans were going well, but now he was contemplating making the gods suffer more.

“Yeah… I can’t remember it very well, though. Every time I reach a certain point, if I try to remember more, my head starts… Ah…”

The pain returned, though it wasn’t as extreme this time round. The blurry glass door seemed to be thawing slowly like frost on a chilled window. Through the mist of my memories, I saw a blue figure floating in front of me amidst the circle of swords.

“Please don’t strain yourself for my sake,” Ardyn’s voice brought me back to Eos. The ache faded.

“Right… But anyway, ah… Well, yeah.”

A small moment of quiet passed.

“Have you… ever seen Angelgard? Or been close to it?” I asked curiously, looking directly at him now. His eyes flashed with something akin to anger but not quite.

“Hmm… Well, the last I saw it was when we first met,” he answered, masking his temper with a smirk. His eyes shot the same gesture into mine, but it felt more intimate. Eyes are windows to the soul, as they say. I evaded his gaze, cheeks warming.

“R-Right… What exactly were you- wait, that’s a stupid question.”

A chuckle filled my ears.

“But do you guys seriously not have planes? Wouldn’t that make traveling easier for everyone? Noctis could’ve been in Altissia within a matter of hours.”

“Planes…?”

A frustrated exhale left my nostrils like a dragon’s breath. What the hell was wrong with this world? Where are the Wright brothers when you need them? I explained the nature of airplanes and their usefulness.

“I’m afraid I’ve never heard of such a convenience. However, I’ve heard the empire has airships if that helps any.”

“Oh of course they do.”

A real and true laugh left him that had my soul in sync with his. Both were fluttering with a nervous unlike him but very like her. The boldness of conversation and the need for bonding locked them together. He entertained the idea of another quick detour. The boys would never allow that again, he knew that, so what could he do? How could he keep her with him for as long as he could? Kidnapping was always an option. But no. That wouldn’t help him gain her trust and her friends would go berserk, possibly ruining his carefully laid plans. What to do…

I began to hum a tune that was forever etched into my brain. It repeated and repeated but Ardyn never asked me to stop. Sweet leitmotifs filled the silence between us. They reminded me to stay determined.

We entered a desert-like area. Small fences lined the road as we pulled off the main highway. A few abandoned structures made the landscape less boring, but I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened there. The further we got, the more militaristic the architecture became. I supposed we were coming up near another imperial base. I glanced at my companion. He looked relaxed, happy even, a small smile on his lips. I turned my head to see my friends closer behind us. I gave them a wave. Only Prompto waved back.

Soon we happened upon a dark wall, the kind of which you see in fortresses. A gate blocked our way with no way through. Ardyn pulled up to its right side, letting the boys catch up and stop beside us.

“We’re here,” he said. I unbuckled my seatbelt.

“Better not be a setup,” Noct said. My hand went for the door handle. A hand caught my other arm.

“Have I given you reason to doubt me?”

“You don’t really inspire confidence,” Prompto answered.

“Yeah, not very straightforward,” Gladio said. I sent Ardyn a questioning glance. He smirked before speaking.

“Hello!” he called out to whoever control the gate. “It’s me! Be so kind as to open up!”

The gate opened. Noctis pulled up right next to Ardyn’s car. Prompto questioned how it worked.

“I may not look like much, but I do have some influence. Aren’t you _glad_ we came _together?”_

“Yes…” I whispered. The hand on my forearm gave me a gentle squeeze.

“Your audience with divinity lies ahead.”

“You’re leaving?” Prompto said and I thought. My head swiveled around to face Ardyn.

“I drop you at the Archaean’s open door, and with that, bid you farewell.”

“Not so fast,” Noct said. “______, get over here.”

I tried to open the door, reluctantly squirming from Ardyn’s grasp. He didn’t let go.

“U-um…” I sent him a slightly fearful glance.

“Come now,” he addressed the boys. “You wouldn’t take such an inexperienced young woman to face one of the _gods,_ now, would you?”

“I…” Noct trailed. “Well, we’re not leaving her with you.”

“Please, she’s in good hands with me. I shall deliver her to you once you’re done.”

“Um, can I… get out please?” I asked in a small voice. “I’ll see you again, right?”

“I really don’t think it right to even entertain the idea of sending you to your possible death, my dear.”

“My- My death?”

“Are you coming or not?” someone said. Another spoke, “Let her out already.”

Ardyn’s eyes met mine, not breaking contact. I drowned in an endless amber void, forgetting what we were doing. My chest was light, all weight gone and leaving a fluffy feeling. I really didn’t want to leave now. Perhaps if I stayed, I could continue feeling like this. Ignis calling my name broke the spell.

“O-oh, um, I mean,” I stuttered. “I want to come, I really do, but he’s got a point. Will you guys be okay without me? Or do I need to come?”

“Yeah, we’ll be fine,” Noct answered. “But I don’t like the idea of leaving you with this guy.”

“I’ve been fine so far. It’s just a bit longer. And you know I might really get in the way this time. Worrying about me will just take your mind off what you _should_ be doing. Now go. Become Eren and perform an attack on Titan!”

No one laughed but me.

“Yeah, I think she’s fine,” I heard Prom say. “Still quoting things no one gets.”

“Alright, just be careful,” Ignis called. “If anything, and I mean _anything,_ happens, tell us immediately and we’ll come to get you.”

“Gotcha!” I told him. They hesitated and then headed through the gate. A minute passed and Ardyn let my arm go. I closed the car door. “So, uh… What was that about?”

“I meant what I said, dear,” he assured me, “in that facing a god would not be good at your level of swordsmanship.”

“Yeah… I get that, but… Is it really that dangerous?”

“It will be, once he awakes. The earthquakes will only worsen, and it wouldn’t do to have you fall.”

“I’ve fallen once, I’m sure a second time would be fine.”

“Forgive me for doubting that.”

He took his phone out, inspecting something on it. The screen on mine lit up, alerting me of a text. Thinking the text I had sent my mother some days ago had gone through, I checked it quickly. My heart sank. Just Prompto.

**Prompto:** everything okay?

 _Me:_ Yep. I feel I should be asking you that

 **Prompto:** we’re fine

 **Prompto:** not everyday you get to see a god

 _Me:_ Get a good picture for me!

 **Prompto:** oh i will! im super hyped

I checked the battery percentage. 3%. Shit. It was surprising that it hadn’t died earlier.

Another text came in from Ignis.

 **Iggy:** Prompto said you’re alright, but I thought I’d make sure

 _Me:_ Yeah, I’m good. Please don’t worry about me, not too much at least

 **Iggy:** Saying that only makes us worry more

 **Iggy:** But we shall keep it in mind

 _Me:_ Tell them to be careful or I will kill them

 **Iggy:** They have been informed

 **Iggy:** Noct is asking if you think you can take him

 _Me:_ Probably not but I can try

 **Iggy:** Gladio and I could give you his weak points

 _Me:_ >:) Tell him I said fight me

 **Iggy:** He said to meet him in the pit

A loud noise behind me caused me to jump. In hindsight, it wasn’t really that loud, but to me it was. I jerked around to see an imperial airship making a landing on the road. I flattened myself against the car door. Ardyn straightened his outfit.

“Ah, it would seem our ride is here,” he said, fiddling with his scarf. I looked at him with wide eyes.

“Ride?” I breathed in disbelief.

“Not to worry, dearest. You’re in good hands.”

He exited the car and came round to open mine. I sat still, pushing against the back of my seat. My breathing picked up. No. No. No way. There was no way. This wasn’t happening. This _wasn’t_ happening.

“Come now, I’m not going to take you and hide you away. I shall merely do as I said, and keep you safe until this whole ordeal is over. What say you?”

“I…” My thoughts were on the world’s fastest rollercoaster. I couldn’t keep up with them. Who was he? The chancellor? He was an enemy? I had remembered a few of their ships stopping and attacking my friends during our adventures. They had a signature look that I wouldn’t forget. This man was with the empire.

_And I had spilled the beans on **everything.**_

He offered me a hand. I stared at him, mind and heart conflicting. My emotions told me to go with him, but my brain said hold up. This man was with the people who had ruined my friends’ lives. He was one of their **leaders.** My shaking hand took his.

I wasn’t thinking now, or rather, I was, but I was so lost in it that I didn’t pay attention to what I was doing. My legs shuffled along behind Ardyn, who escorted me to the airship. I didn’t even realize what I had done until I heard the door close. My eyes drifted up to his gaze.

“My sincere apologies for not introducing myself properly,” Ardyn said, dipping his head. He held out his hand again. “Ardyn Izunia, at your service.”

Silence. Soft pants came from me as I tried desperately to calm myself.

 _So he really_ is _the chancellor._

“You made the robot things,” I murmured, more to myself than him. He actually looked apologetic.

“Yes…” he spoke slowly. “Well, not exactly. I merely aided in the design for their creation.”

“You… You’re with the empire.”

“Yes…”

“You’re the _chancellor.”_

An uncomfortable heat was rising up from my stomach. My hands clenched into fists. Deeper breaths emitted from me.

“You hurt them.”

“Now, now, let’s not make assumptions-”

“You destroyed their _home.”_

I saw fire. This man had helped take away from my friends the very thing I had lost as well. I was the only one who understood how they felt, only I didn’t have anyone to blame. They did, though. And since they weren’t here…

“My dear, I hardly had any part in the attack on Insomnia,” he tried to defend himself. “What happened to ‘before all this’? Surely that wasn’t a ruse to make me comfortable…”

So I wasn’t the only suspicious one.

“You did the same thing to them that happened to me,” I spat. “I trusted you.”

“I didn’t ask you to.”

“You lied to me!”

“Did I? I don’t recall telling you any specifics.”

My whole body was uncomfortably warm. My eyes were narrowed, fists opening and closing. All I saw was Ardyn. Nothing else was around me, only this time for all the wrong reasons. This man had twisted his words and manipulated the conversation to trick me, to trick all of us. Somehow he had purposefully gotten under my skin and made me like him. My blood boiled at the thought.

“Calm down and let me explain.”

“No! You led us here for something, didn’t you?”

“Simply to see the Archaean, I assure you.”

“Why?!”

“Would you believe me if I said I wished to aid in the prince’s ascension?”

“Hell no!”

My phone. I could still call them and-

“I’ll be taking that,” Ardyn said, snatching it from my hand. I stepped forward to grab at it. He held up in the air so I couldn’t reach. “If they ask why you didn’t inform them of this development, tell them it died.”

“What do you want from them? What do you want from _me?”_

“From them? At the moment, to take as much time as they can. From you? I’m not quite sure yet, my dear. I haven't decided.”

The pet name caused me to snap. I quickly summoned a sword and struck forward. “Stop calling me that!”

With lightning speed, he sidestepped me and grabbed my arm, twisting it behind me. I felt the sword leave my hand as I struggled against him. I thrust my head back, trying to hit him, and worked to summon my weapon again. But there wasn’t any room for it.

“Ah, ah, ah!” he sang, bringing a hand round to my neck, effectively holding me against him. My free hand flailed, tried to grasp at him to get off. His body pressed against mine, causing a different kind of heat arising in me. I clawed at his hands. “Now, don’t tell me you don’t feel it too?”

I froze. Did he mean what I thought he meant…?

“This little… connection between us, darling. It’s not ordinary, and I’m sure you know that.”

No voice should be allowed to have such an attractive quality to it. It should be _illegal_ to sound that good. The huskiness of his warmed all of me in ways I wasn’t sure I’d ever tell anyone.

“Don’t you think we ought to _sort this out?”_

“I-I…” I choked. “I don’t- I…”

“You don’t feel it? Pity…”

“No, I do, I just- ah…”

His grip tightened. Thoroughly frightened, I wiggled against him. Unfortunately I was locked in his arms. The thought lit my face up like a strawberry.

“So you _do,”_ he repeated. “Ever since Galdin Quay, yes? When I first bumped into you, I thought I had seen Ae- someone else, but then when I realized you were no one I knew, I tried my _utter best_ to ignore it. You’re rather persistent.”

“Y-you’re one to talk,” I tried to be brave and talk back despite the anxiety coursing through me. “Following me around…”

“Following _you?_ No, I believe it’s the other way around, my dear.”

“Why would I do that? You never even gave me your _name._ Why would I do something like that on purpose? I’m not even from this world.”

“Right… Then perhaps it’s a natural allure that your people possess. I didn’t ask to feel like this. I suggest you cancel the effect.”

“E-effect?” I squeaked as his grip tightened further. His dark tone sent shivers through me and not the fun kind. My throat dried. “I’m human like you! Please, I swear I’m not doing anything! All I feel is this weird pull whenever I’m near you and I don’t know how to make it stop!”

He dropped me. I stumbled forward, a few tears leaking from my eyes. I steadied myself before turning to face him. His expression was unreadable. I stepped back, away from him.

“Why are you doing this?” I rasped. “Do you really… feel the same…?”

An earthquake interrupted his answer of yes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My anxiety: Isn’t four days too little a time to pass before updating?  
> Me: Don’t care. People like it and it makes me happy and feel better about myself  
> My anxiety: BuT wHaT iF tHeY tHiNk YoU’Re UpDaTinG tOo FaSt AnD hAvE nO lIfE aNd HaVe NoThInG bEtTeR tO dO wItH yOuR tImE?  
> Me: ...  
> Me: Shit you right  
> My anxiety: .....  
> Me: ......  
> My depression: ......  
> Pippiuscattius: ........  
> Noctis: .........  
> Ardyn: ..........  
> All the multiverse: .........  
> Me: *updates*  
> My anxiety: WHY


	13. ...Go As Fucking Planned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...and Reader has a very bad day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! *waves*
> 
> WARNING: The beginning of this chapter contains a realistic account of a panic attack. Please read at your own risk.

_You betrayed them._

_I didn’t mean to!_

_It still happened anyway. And after all they’ve done for you… You really are despicable and selfish, aren’t you? You only care about yourself._

_I do not! I couldn’t care less about me._

_Liar._

_Stop it._

_You’re a fucking piece of shit and you know it. Lazy, weak, obsessive, selfish-_

_I said stop it! I am not!_

_-only care about yourself, you’re just using them to get what you want.I am NOT!_

_I can’t believe you. You’re nothing but a burden on them. Getting in the way, holding them back, hindering their progress. No wonder they hate you._

_They never said-_

_Well, they don’t have to, do they? Every hates you regardless, right? It doesn’t matter what you do, **you’ll never be enough.** _

“I said STOP,” I cried out, drawing my legs up. I didn’t have my medicine. No antidepressants to take meants my mental health was deteriorating. My eyes stung, back of my mouth tight. Why wouldn’t these thoughts just go away? 

Shivers shook through me. My eyes were wrenched shut, arms wrapped around my legs. It was too much. I didn’t want these emotions. My heart was conflicted, mind patronizing me, and my soul just wanted Ardyn. I couldn’t take it. My breathing picked up. I tried desperately to calm myself down. 

_Don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic-_

_-what Ardyn must think of you now. Annoying. Pathetic. Weak. Helpless. You can’t even take care of yourself._

_-don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic-_

Hyperventilation. I couldn’t breathe. Something invisible blocked the air ways. I brought a hand to my eyes, covering them. 

_They’re going to hate me for this. They’re going to hate me and there’s nothing I can do about it. They’ll abandon me and leave me behind and I’ll never get home or see it again I’ll be all alone._

__I’ll be all alone.__

The thought broke me. The last thing I wanted, the one thing I might fear more than death, is being left behind and forgotten. _I don’t want to be forgotten._

_Please don’t leave me!_

My body was hunched over in a corner, leaning back against the wall. Ardyn had gone to the cockpit of the airship once we had gotten off the ground. No one else was in the main hangar. It was just me sitting on the floor by myself.  


I couldn’t see. I couldn’t breathe. I tried to gasp for air and slow down, but it all it did was make it worse. There was nothing to calm me. No friends to help, no family to rely on. No thoughts to fall back to. I had nothing. 

_You are nothing._

Tears were flowing down my cheeks at a steady pace. I couldn’t hear anything but my own frantic breath and choked sobs. I couldn’t physically feel anything but my eyes as I held them. No specific scent filled my nostrils as I couldn’t breathe properly. The air I inhaled tasted bland. The air was cold. It’s so cold… 

Hurried footsteps dashed over to where I sat. Someone knelt before me, shushing me gently and grasping both my arms. I cried harder, trying to blurt out apologies for ruining their day with my problems. I couldn’t speak either. 

Before I could register what was happening, two arms were wrapped around me, pulling me into a familiar cinnamon scent. I wriggled and writhed, not wanting to be touched. Whoever held me wouldn’t let go. They put more strength into their grip, causing a glimmer of comfort to appear. My lungs faltered in their intake. 

“H-h-h-harder,” I manages to gasp, not caring about any future insinuations. Once their hold had tightened again, my breath almost instantly calmed. My chest felt the pounding of a heart beating from the inside as rapid as a racehorse. Breaths became shaky and shallow. I shivered, finally warming once again. My head against my savior’s shoulder. Now I could cry properly. “I’m s-s-sor- I’m sorry-!” 

“Shhhh….” 

My chest racked with sobs and gasps and a few breaths that got stuck in my throat. A hand still covered my eyes. I kept it there. The next few moments were spent in calming down. When the trail of tears began to dry, my eyes ached and I feared not being able to stand on my own. My thoughts were muddled and foggy and all I wanted was to sleep. A headache worked its way to my frontal lobe. I sniffed. 

“I-I’m… I’m sorry,” I croaked. “I have a mixture of two mental illnesses and one disorder and-” 

“My dear, it pains me to think you feel the need to explain yourself,” Ardyn hushed. “I understand, I do. Please don’t think there’s any need to apologize or find an excuse. Your emotions are always justified.” 

I remained quiet, unsure of what to think or say. The chancellor of my friends’ sworn enemy was comforting me. He had been incredibly kind this entire time. Perhaps there was a chance he wished to help Noct ascend, but it for sure wasn’t out of the goodness of his heart. That much I could gather from the vastly different way he treated them compared to me. With them, he seemed condescending and showy. With me, his more relaxed and caring side shined through. Maybe he really did feel the strange pull, just like I did. 

What felt like forever passed by. Ardyn’s hold never faltered. I removed the hand from my eyes. Sniff. The tears were wiped away. Sniff. My eyelids drooped, heavy from emotional exhaustion. This panic attack had lasted longer than the other one. It had been unrestrained. All I wanted was to sleep for ten thousand years and then some. 

“Thank you,” I murmured gratefully. Ardyn’s smile could be felt where his head was resting against mine. 

“You’re always welcome, my dearest,” he whispered. My heart grew with the affection in his voice. Footsteps sounded from the other end of the room. 

“Um, sir?” a subordinate called out. 

“Not now,” Ardyn announced. 

“But sir, the Archaean and the Caelum boy-” 

“I said _not now.”_

“Y-yes sir…” 

The top of my head warmed with Ardyn’s annoyed exhale. 

“I suppose I ought to see what’s going on,” he grumbled after another moment. “And I’m sure you’d like to make sure of their safety, yes?” 

I shrugged, too tired to truly feel over the top concern. But Noct was my friend, so I’d force myself to check up on him. 

“I guess,” I resigned. I loathed the feeling of being extracted from Ardyn for multiple reasons: one, he was supposed to be the enemy and I should not be fraternizing with him; two, I felt guilty for wanting to be with him and for enjoying the warmth and security that came with it; and three, well, I just didn’t like being separated from him in general. I frowned. Please, God, take these emotions away from me. 

The object of my affections led me to an area with a window. Looking out, I inaudibly gasped. Titan swung his arm out, reaching for very small specks on the decimated ground. I took my glasses off, cleaned them, and put them back on. The telltale sign of Noctis warping proved that he really was fighting a literal god. No wonder Ardyn had been worried about me going with them. There was no way anyone should be able to survive that. 

“Is he gonna be okay?” I asked, chest tightening at the thought of my friends perishing. 

“He should be,” Ardyn said rather nonchalantly. “And if he isn’t, then the gods must have chosen poorly.” 

The lack of empathy he displayed concerned me, but I said nothing. Several MT units were being dispatched to take on the Archaean as well. I wondered why. What was the point? Were they truly assisting Noct with his ascension, whatever that meant? I asked Ardyn. 

“Not entirely, I’m afraid,” he answered. “The empire means to strike the gods down themselves. First the Glacian, now Titan. Should the prince receive his mark, well, that is to be expected.” 

“Why?” I asked confusedly. “Why take the gods down? Don’t they run the world or something? Isn’t that what gods do?” 

He laughed. Poor, naïve little girl. She didn’t understand the kind of world she’d been dropped onto. The gods didn’t run the world, no. They might say they protected mankind and their star, but men were the true masterminds. Look at Solheim, for example. They caused the downfall of an Astral simply by refusing worship and thus sparked a war. The Astrals simply possessed higher power and abilities. They had slept for two thousand years, hardly interfering with the affairs of mortals, leaving them as pawns to use in the long run. Some gods they were. 

“I wouldn’t say that,” Ardyn said, still grinning. “Humans overpower the gods in terms of population several times over. Not to mention they haven’t done much but sleep for some millenia, give or take.” 

“Some might say God used to be more hands on, too,” I said, “but that doesn’t mean he’s to be rebuked. We wouldn’t be here without him, after all.” 

“That may be your perspective, but I, for one, don’t much care for gods.” 

“That’s cool, too, but isn’t killing one, like, a bit much?” 

“Hmm, perhaps. But it is what the emperor demands, and so it shall be done.” 

“Aren’t you his advisor or something? You couldn’t talk him out of it?” 

“He can be very persistent when he wishes to be, my dear.” 

I crossed my arms, swaying slightly. A nap sounded superb right about now. The airship drifted closer to the battle scene. We watched as Noct wiped out a small group of MTs. It looked like Gladio was with him. Where were Ignis and Prompto? My heart leapt anxiously at the idea of something terrible happening to them. 

My body lurched forward as Titan hit Noctis head on. Now I began to worry. It took him a few seconds to get back up. I turned to Ardyn. 

“Please let me out,” I pleaded. He shot me a deplorable expression. 

“Absolutely not,” he denied. “You can tend to them when this has finished.” 

“But it’s just Noct and Gladio! They can’t handle all this by themselves!” 

“And you think you can somehow help them? With what little experience you have? My dear, you’ll only make things worse.” 

He instantly regretted saying that. The pain in her eyes reached his own heart. And when she looked away, he realized he had caused her to erect a wall that had previously come down. But it was true. If she went out there, it’d be utter chaos trying to keep her out of harm’s way while also combatting the Archaean and the MTs. It’d just cause everyone more distress. 

“Don’t you fret, sweet. I’m sure they’ll be just fine.” 

****

They were not just fine. After Ardyn had performed a dramatic and rather excessive rescue, the four boys struggled onto the airship. Each had the appearance of having been roughing it in a dirty oven. The small anguished cry I let out alerted them to my wellbeing. 

“______,” Ignis sighed. His and Prompto’s appearance exhibited the idea of them being better off. Their clothes weren’t as scuffed up and their skin had far less bruises and scorch marks. “Thank the gods you’re alright.” 

Noctis and Gladiolus, however… The edges of their clothes were singed, burns littering their flesh, and both sagged under the weight of there being more to deal with. I rushed forward, Ardyn attempting and failing to catch me and hold me back. 

Noct was the worst off. He didn’t show it, but the pain and aches I felt after placing a hand on his shoulder had me doubling over and shrieking slightly. _Everything_ hurt. My legs wobbled and my arms could hardly come up to support myself. Every inch of my skin burned and felt the piercing of several blades and bullets like sharp needles to my very flesh. Lastly, the pain of being hit by many buses at once overwhelmed me. I fell back into waiting arms. 

“Once again, I reiterate the prospect of keeping your healer in check,” Ardyn barked. Gladio fumed and stormed forward to collect me. Ardyn pulled me further away. “Touch her and she’ll attempt the same trick.” 

The Shield halted, eyes angry and fists clenched. Noctis physically looked better now, but his expression said he was pissed. His eyes shot daggers at Ardyn, brows furrowed. 

“Then let me take her,” he demanded. Ardyn shook his head. I was forced to lean on him, unable to use my legs. 

“She’s already exhausted,” the chancellor furthered. He drew himself up, putting on the mask of the charming politician again. “Why don’t you all take a seat? We’re in for a long ride.” 

He helped me to find a place along the left wall. Noctis sat to my left, keeping an eye on me. The other three completed a small circle around us. I struggled to keep my body upright. Noct let me mean against him again. 

“And what will you do with us now?” Ignis interrogated angrily. He stood to face Ardyn. I hadn’t seen him so upset before. 

“Why, grant you safe passage, just as I said,” the man in question answered smoothly. 

“Pretty generous offer,” Prompto said, “for an _imperial.”_

I did my best to give him a disapproving stare. 

“Come now,” Ardyn said slowly. “Is it fair to begrudge a man the circumstances of his birth?” 

“Well, no. I guess not.” 

I couldn’t help but smirk slightly. Burn, Prom. You shouldn’t judge someone based on something like their home country. 

Ignis dropped down to crouch near my right. He inspected me carefully. 

“I do hope nothing dreadful occurred whilst we were away,” he speculated. I shook my head, not ready to explain my earlier panic attack. 

“I was just worried about you guys,” I told him. Ardyn scoffed at my obvious lie. Gladio glared at him. 

“What did he mean by ‘already exhausted’?” Noctis asked. I blanked and recovered swiftly. 

“Well, you know I had a rough night,” I answered. Noct didn’t seem convinced but didn’t ask further. 

“Right…” 

“So what do we so after he drops us off?” Gladio asked, thankfully rescuing me from any more questions Ignis had regarding the gap between the gate and now. 

“Go get the car.” Noct said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Can’t leave her unattended for long,” Ignis said, discreetly looking at me. I shrunk under his gaze, knowing he wasn’t talking about just the car. He stood to address Ardyn once more. “Chancellor, if you truly wish to aid in our efforts, then I request you release us this instant.” 

I jerked my head toward him. “Uh, Iggy, that’s, uh, a bit of a drop…” 

He didn’t hear me. Neither did Ardyn. 

“This instant?” the latter repeated. “It’s a long way down. Perhaps the army could break your fall.” 

“They even _talk_ the same,” Prompto complained about me. Gladio gave him a sharp nudge to be quiet. 

“Or perhaps you could simply sit back and enjoy the ride.” 

_Oh I know what I’d like to ride…_

My eyes widened in shock at my own thoughts. 

_No, please, for the love of God, don’t do this to me now. Or ever. Please._

“-good hands with me.” 

As Ignis reluctantly sat back down, I continued to stare at nothing, horrified at my brain and the faulty biological system that was the human body. 

On the topic of where to drop us off, the guys decided that the chocobo post would be good. Prompto seemed ecstatic and I certainly looked forward to seeing the giant birds in person. Well, not as giant as the one guarding the stones that one guy wanted, but still. I imagined chocobos were as big as ostriches since they were able to be ridden. 

_You know what else can be ridden?_

_I am_ not _answering that._

_Ard-_

“So ______,” Gladio’s voice saved me from my thoughts. “You sure nothing happened while we were gone?” 

“Yep,” I answered dully. “Just your average revelation moment that causes you to rethink your life choices. Y’know, the usual.” 

I received a laugh from my friends. 

“But really, I’m fine. Mostly.” 

“At least we can count on you to take care of yourself,” Noct said. Ignis seemed doubtful but said nothing. Dammit, he knew. He knew there was something going on and if I wasn't careful, he’d get me alone and the beans would spill once again. I could not let those beans be released. 

“Apparently the same cannot be said for yourselves,” I slightly joked. 

“I thought we came out pretty good,” Prompto said. The joy of seeing them all again started wearing off. Every limb weighed a ton and both eyelids screamed at me to close them. 

“Don’t strain yourself, okay?” Noct assured me. “I appreciate the help, we all do, but…” 

“Don’t do it at the cost of your own health,” Gladio finished. It dawned on me then that they weren’t secretly telling me I was burden, but that they actually cared for me and didn’t want to see me hurt. I really should’ve noticed sooner. 

“I… Yeah,” I sighed. “You’re right, I know. Thank you.” 

That pleased them, the sight of my final understanding. 

Most of the rest of the ride to the chocobo post went by in silence or hushed whispers. Sometimes I’d glance up at Ardyn to find him still observing us closely but also keeping his distance. He always met my gaze and seemed to resent the image of me resting my head on Noct’s shoulder, but he smiled anyway. 

They set us down a little ways away from the post, so as not to attract attention. I stumbled to feet, able to walk slowly but not much else. I dragged my feet to the opening in the aircraft. Ardyn stopped me. 

“Because you’re so invested in our world,” he said, “allow me to bestow upon you a gift.”  
It was another book. This one read “Cosmogony” and the cover was littered with sparkling dots like stars and the image of what looked like an angel talking to a man. Cosmogony. Ardyn had paid attention to my interest in mythology and history. I sent him a radiant smile. 

His heart nearly stopped. By all things holy, what was this woman doing to him? 

“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “I’ll start it right away.” 

“Perhaps some rest is in order first,” he corrected. Someone walked over to us. “Do take care of yourself, my dear.” 

“I will, I think. Thanks again. For… everything, since they won’t say it.” 

A hand pulled me back and led me outside the ship. 

“She’ll be just fine,” Gladio growled. “And next time stay the hell away from her. It’s creepy as all fuck…” 

He muttered the last sentence so it was hard to hear. 

“Yeaaah,” Noct said. “Just stay put, got it?” 

“Guys…” I began. 

“No, you don’t get to protest,” Gladio interrupted. We now stood on the grass with Ardyn watching from the airship. “It’s his fault he’s singling you out.” 

_Oh God. They **know.**_

“A break would be nice,” Ignis agreed. 

“Or we could just avoid him altogether,” Noct said. They had forgotten the man they spoke of was watching. “Seems best that way.” 

“Good call,” Gladio said. He looked at me. “No more escapades by yourself, understood?” 

“What’re you, my dad?” I sassed back, annoyed at his overprotective nature. “Guys, look, there’s-” 

“We’re trying to keep you safe.” 

“And I am safe! He didn’t hurt me, no one did. I’m perfectly fine. You’re the ones who came out worse.” 

“That doesn’t matter when the possibility of him kidnapping you is very likely.” 

“Oh, I would never do such a thing,” Ardyn voiced. 

“Oh yeah?” Gladio challenged. My eyes narrowed. “Doesn’t seem like it to me. You could’ve flown off with her.” 

_No, Gladio, don’t do this now. Or ever._

“Now, now, I am a man of my word. Did I not keep her safe from harm whilst you were away?” 

“You said she was exhausted,” Noct broke in. My fingers started flexing. “The hell were you two doing?” 

_Not you too, Noct._

“Nothing indecent, I grant you that.” 

_Anxiety override initiated. 70% complete._

“Then why not tell us what happened exactly?” asked Prompto, who was also feeling irritated. My brows drew together. Heat started bubbling up again. 

“I merely thought I’d keep the lady’s privacy. Would you not do the same?” 

_80%._

“Sounds pretty sketchy to me,” Noct said. 

_90%_

“Please, I-” 

_Anxiety override complete._

“Alright, that’s enough!” I shouted. My fists were clenched, neck warming. “I know you guys are worried about me and care about me and all that but for goodness’ sake, you’re acting like he’s committed some horrible crime! He did what he said would. I’m perfectly okay and that’s what matters, alright? I got upset for you when I realized who he was, and the confrontation was too much for me and I had a panic attack. I didn’t want to tell you for several reasons until I was ready, but he comforted me, okay? He actually managed to calm me down from a full out meltdown. Does that seem despicable to you?” 

No one said a word. It was the first time they had seen me somewhat angry, and at them, no less. And no one wanted to mess with that. Not even Ardyn. I was sick and tired of the tension between all of them. Why couldn’t they just get along or at least neutrally tolerate each other for the time being? 

“You’re right,” Ignis said. “It isn’t despicable and perhaps we should be thanking him for assisting you, but the fact is we left you in the _imperial chancellor’s_ hold without knowing who he was or what he could do to you. That might not wholly be a valid excuse, but the air between you both begs the question of why you seem so fond of each other.” 

Alright. Fair enough. But, wait… 

I stared at him and Noctis. 

“You mean to tell me you don’t know what the leaders of your enemy even look like?” I scolded. “Or their first names?” 

All four of them had the _audacity_ to look ashamed. I sighed in exasperation. 

“Alright, y’know what, this isn’t getting us anywhere. How ‘bout we call it a truce and start over, okay?” 

I spun around to face Ardyn. 

“Thank you very much for helping us get to the Archaean and paying for a place to stay and giving us a ride to someplace safe. And for the book. We really appreciate it even if they won’t admit it. And thank you for helping me calm down. That’s a lot harder than you think.” 

“You are all very welcome,” he said in turn, opening arms and taking a slight bow. “I shall leave you be, then. Here’s to hoping you find that car of yours.” 

When he was gone, I was faced with three protective brothers and a stern Mother Ignis.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The alternate ending for this included Reader quoting Loki from the Avengers because I have a soft spot for him too (I love him as much as I love Ardyn and that’s saying something) but I didn’t include it for the long run. So here it is!:  
> OMITTED  
> “Got any fun quotes for us to take our mind off this whole thing?” Prompto asked. I said the first thing that came to mind, which in hindsight was probably a mistake since they seemed almost appalled by my words, but I continued anyway.  
> “‘Is this not simpler?’” I recited regally. “‘Is this not your natural state? It is the unspoken truth of humanity... that you crave subjugation. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel.’”  
> Everyone just stared at me. Hear crept up my neck to my cheeks.  
> “That might not be the exact quote, but it was the first thing that came to mind. I can find something else if you want.”  
> “Yeeaahh…” Prompto stretched. “Not really what I was expecting.”  
> “Sorry, I just have a thing for tragic villains.”  
> “That’s tragic?” Gladio asked. I brightened.  
> “Don’t get me started on the Marvel Cinematic Universe ‘cause we will be here for awhile.”  
> “We got time.”  
> I smiled joyfully and began the long explanation of the MCU timeline from Iron Man up until Infinity War with explicit detail specifically for Loki’s character arc. It was clear he was my favorite. Unfortunately, it didn’t fuel the whole ride to the chocobo post and the conversation died out. And then I realized they were not only distracting themselves, but they were helping me by asking about home.


	14. The Tale of Sleipnir and the Mage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys and Dearest Reader deal with the aftermath of Ardyn...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Title: How To Train Your Chocobo
> 
> If anyone gets the references... 👉🏻👉🏻 You’re awesome  
> Also in case you didn’t know, I released two chapters yesterday, so you might’ve missed thirteen.

Being surrounded by four men who could easily kill you in ten different ways while also knowing they’re really nice is terrifying when their anger is directed at _you._

Well, I say anger, but what I really mean is indignation.

“Why didn’t you tell us you had another panic attack?” Noct asked accusingly. “You know we’re here to help you, right?”

“I…” I gathered my thoughts. “...You all were hurt and probably had a million different thoughts and feelings on your minds and I didn’t want to add to them. I _was_ going to tell you, eventually, maybe, but… It didn’t come out right and I’m sorry.”

“We understand,” Ignis said, “and we appreciate your consideration. But what we should be asking is how you’re feeling now.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m good now. Just tired.”

He pushed his glasses up, sighing. “That’s good to hear. We can talk about the chancellor later. For now I suggest securing accommodations for the night.”

“And several baths,” Prompto chipped in. We began the walk to the chocobo post. I would’ve been bouncing on my feet like Prompto, but the ache in my head said otherwise. I looked forward to seeing a chocobo in person. They were so cute in the pictures I had seen. So fluffy.

“So how did the Titan thing go?” I asked.

“I received his blessing,” Noctis answered. “And we found another royal arm: Blade of the Mystic.”

Searing hot hatred took me in a flash. It only lasted a second, leaving me wondering where the hell it came from.

_That was weird. Who was the Mystic again?_

“And the cliff broke,” Gladio continued. “Separating me and Noct and from Prompto and Iggy.”

“Were you okay?” I asked. “Were you hurt?”

“Gladio caught me,” Noct said. “And we continued on down to Titan. Only he started swatting at us.”

He told me the story of how he and Gladiolus traversed the flaming earth, dodging attacks from Titan and eventually falling and having to warp down to somewhere else. I then learned that the pain I received from Noct that felt like several tanks had been thrown at me was from the hits the giant landed on him. Ouch. No wonder it had hurt so much.

Gladio told me there were lots of MT units, so they worried that the empire was trying to take out the Archaean. I confirmed their theory, though I couldn’t explain why. I didn’t even know, myself. Prompto popped in, telling us of his and Ignis’ dangerous descent and how they made it just in time to help Noctis and Gladio take on the MTs _and_ Titan.

“I hate to admit,” Prom said, “but it’s actually a good thing Ardyn kept you back. I don’t know what we would’ve done if something had happened to you.”

“Yeah,” Gladio said. “He still could’ve flown off with her.”

“But he didn’t,” Ignis said. “Which I can’t help but wonder why.”

“He’s a man of his word?” I suggested.

“I suppose, but I feel you have a bias on the subject.”

Yeah, he was probably right.

“Anything else noteworthy happen?” I questioned.

“Titan showed me a vision of Luna,” Noct said. “So she’s alive somewhere, hopefully safe.”

I let out a relieved exhale. That must’ve alleviated some of Noct’s worries. From what I could observe, he truly loved her.

“I’m glad,” I said. “You must have been frightened she was gone.”

“Uh, yeah,” he said. “It’s good to know she’s alright.”

“If I may?” Ignis prompted me. I blinked at him. He waited. I blinked twice, not wanting to talk. He nodded. “What caused the panic attack you had? I’m sure we’ve all been thinking something of that caliber.”

“Yeah, that’s what I wanna know,” Gladio said. “Imperial chancellor. Never would’ve guessed…”

I almost halted. Shit. Do I tell them what I told him? Do I say a half truth? Should I just outright lie? I swallowed.

“I… had an overwhelm of emotions,” I confessed. “I had been feeling so… safe and comfortable around him and I may have told him things I shouldn’t have, but…”

They graciously let me finish speaking. My throat felt tight but I kept going.

“One of those airships came and- oh wait, hold on. I- I’m really sorry- but in my book, his name was there and I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think it was him because he was so nice and humorous and… um… well, when I realized I was right I panicked and could hardly move then when I finally gained my sense, I confronted him for you because I know how it feels to lose your home now and I hated that he was- is the leader of the people who took it from you. And then I tried texting you but he took my phone from me - it’s probably dead anyway.”

I skipped over the confrontation about whatever effect Ardyn and I had on each other. My emotions were welling up again. I tried intently to keep them down but having not taken my medicine for over a week left me grasping at straws.

“And I just thought and felt that I’d betrayed you somehow and telling him things I shouldn’t have took a toll on me not to mention him being the _chancellor._ And combined with a whole lotta other things I just broke. And I’m sorry this keeps happening. I don't mean to be so emotional - I had antidep- medicine I’d take back home but I can’t get any here and I’m just in a downward spiral into emotional hell.”

“Is it a frosted hell?” Gladio asked. I nudged him in response. “But seriously, we figured you’d let the cat out of the bag. That’s why we didn’t wanna leave you with him. We just didn’t know how dangerous a guy he really was.”

My shoulders dropped. So they knew the whole time? Great. Fantastic. I’m so going to die.

“We thank you for telling us,” Ignis said. We neared the ranch. “And for telling us about your medicinal situation. We might be able to find a substitute if you’re willing to try it.”

“I don’t know…” I thought for a moment. “It took me five tries to get the right kind and combination. Psychiatry is tricky. I even went to several different people for it. One person accidentally made it worse, and then I had start over from scratch so…”

“Wait, what’s it for?” Noct asked.

“Depression.”

“O-oh… Sorry.”

“Nah, it’s good.”

“Medicine can make it worse?” Prompto asked curiously, tilting his head to the side.

“It’s all about balancing the chemicals in your brain, so yes. If you take one that further skews the system, well, let’s just say I had to transfer schools to one back home- er, in my home state and city.”

“Youch,” Gladio said. “Doesn’t sound good.”

“I got better though. Not completely, but I could function properly again.”

“No wonder you seem to bounce back,” Ignis said lightly. “Besides the little episodes here and there, I’d say you’ve done well here on Eos.”

“Really?” My heart fluttered, feeling light. “I thought I was too emotional.”

“I thought that was how girls are,” Gladio teased. I nudged him harder, more of a shove, really. “Sorry, sorry.”

“I agree with Ignis,” Noctis put in. “There have been some… troubling issues, but that’s to be expected from someone in your position. Other than that, I’d say you fit right in.”

“Minus the autism part,” Prompto joked. I rolled my eyes and started flicking my wrist, twisting and listening and feeling the satisfying crack as it popped.

“Hey, you’re gonna hurt yourself if you keep doing that,” Gladio warned. I looked him in the eye as a big pop in my right wrist sounded. Ah, that felt good.

“It’s called stimming,” I explained, continuing my motions. “Any repetitive physical stimulation that calms the body and person doing it. It is a symptom of autism.”

“Get that out of a book?”

“Google.”

The chocobo post was your average horse ranch in a forest but without covered stables and without the horses. The bright yellow birds stood and preened their feathers while little chicks frolicked and played. I gasped at how cute the chicks were.

 _“I want ten,”_ I gushed “They’re so cute!”

“Me too!” Prompto cheered. “Then we’d have twenty!”

At the center of the ranch, amidst a few lunch tables, stood Wiz, the man who ran the establishment. He undoubtedly looked like a man who had been doing this for a while with graying hair, faded clothes, and the general display of having many experiences in his eyes. Noctis and Ignis explained the situation while Prompto and I attempted to get the chicks’ attentions. We had no luck.

“Well you’re plenty welcome to stay here,” I heard Wiz say. I stood up. “There’s a caravan down thataways and several campsites around the lake. If you need somethin’ eat, you can grab a bite here.”

We thanked the good man and made our way to the caravan. Prompto immediately flopped down onto one of the beds.

“I could sleep _forever,”_ he sighed.

“Big mood,” I said.

“What’s a mood?” Gladio asked.

“Just means ‘saaame.’”

“Gotcha.”

Luckily they had attached an air conditioner to the caravan. The air cooled us all down. I lied on one of the small couches, staring at the ceiling. Soon the boys began to wash themselves up. It was a thing, too. They were filthy after getting smacked upside the head several times by Titan. I remained on my couch.

I managed to get a small nap in. I awoke to the sound of thunder in the distance. Ignis sat across from me, his small notebook in hand. A sleeping Noct occupied a bed.

Iggy exhaled. I looked at him.

“Running low on supplies…” he muttered to himself.

“Where do we get them?” I asked sleepily. He gasped slightly, jumping a bit.

“______,” he said. “You startled me.”

I laughed for a few seconds. “Sorry. Well, not really. But still.”

He pushed his glasses up, causing me to do the same.

“We can either buy ingredients or forage for them in the wild,” he answered my question.

“Forage?” I echoed “That seems- wait, what?”

He chuckled. “There are certain procurement points we can find. If we hurry, we might be able to gather enough for the next few days. Would you like to join me?”

I blinked. “Isn’t that… unsanitary?”

“Not if we wash thoroughly. It is what humans did before civilization.”

I blinked again.

“As for worms, well, we’ll have to hope the early birds got to them.”

I agreed after the joke.

 

“Um, do you know where we’re going?” I asked. We had been walking for ages and had only found a few things to take back.

“Not particularly,” Ignis replied. What? Wasn’t he usually the prepared one? “If we stick near the ranch, we should be able to find our way back.”

“Right…”

If only Google Maps could save us.

I followed alongside my fellow glasses wearer, holding a basket we had found that no one using. The sky grew dark with clouds. Evening would come soon. I could smell its sweetness in the air. Or maybe that was the rain.

We continued on in relative silence for awhile. I started humming quietly, a tune only I knew. The trees passed by, some broken and bent, others standing proud. A lake beheld majesty beyond the treeline. A large creature that reminded me of an elephant waded in the mirroring water. The small stretch of grass from the forest to the water’s edge was home to many animals I had never seen before. Big and round ones bumbled about on tiny feet. I thought they looked kinda like giant armadillos.

“I hope you’re enjoying your stay here,” Ignis said, cutting my thoughts in half. “Well, as much as you can.”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “It’s been… weird but nice.”

He smiled. “Glad to hear it.”

Quiet. An aura of anticipation arose. He was going to ask me something, I could feel it.

“I suppose I should tell you I didn’t bring you out here just to scavenge.”

“Is this the part where you kill me and say an animal did it?”

He laughed. “No, absolutely not.”

The sincerity grew as he fixed his glasses.

“It’s about the chancellor, Izunia.”

Oh. Right. I should’ve seen that coming.

“I told you the truth,” I said. “I swear!”

“I know, and I believe you.”

He stopped walking.

“But I can’t help but notice something between you two.”

I stayed silent. He turned around to face me.

“_______, can you tell me what occurred last night? In more detail, if you please?”

“...Why?”

“I’m trying to understand whatever this is. Whether it’s something we ought to be wary of or if we should simply leave it be.”

I sighed and recounted the moment under the streetlamp.

_When the tears stopped slowing, I remained. I remained in the warm embrace that brought me such a wonderful sense of peace. What was this? Was it love? Friendship? Some other sort of intimacy I couldn’t think of? It sent the anxiety away, quelled my fears. It was like floating on air without a care in the world._

_I relished the feeling of the hand calmly stroking through my hair. Were I a cat, I’d be purring. It felt so nice, like a reassuring statement in physical form. And a heartfelt promise of tranquility._

_“How are you feeling?” Ardyn’s soft voice broke through the quiet. I tightened my grip subconsciously._

_“Better,” I murmured through his shirt. The warmth of his coat surrounded me like an extra hug. “Thank you.”_

_He said nothing. The hand in my locks halted, now resting on my head. I pulled back slightly, wondering what was wrong. His eyes showed a conflicted emotion I couldn't decipher. His features formed a small frown at his own confusion. Golden eyes stared into mine. And then looked away._

_I slowly retracted my arms, shrugging to bury myself further in the coat when a breeze blew by. He half smiled now._

_“You’re quite welcome,” he finally responded. I slipped the coat off and handed it to him. “Are you sure? There’s still quite a chill out tonight.”_

_I nodded and thanked him again. He led me back to the room, pausing outside the door._

_“I do hope you find a way back home,” he said. “It is where the heart is, after all.”_

_“Then I guess my home is a billion of lightyears away,” I jested, half serious. “But really, thank you. It means a lot to me, what you did.”_

_He smiled a sincere grin. “Never forget it.”_

_“Why? Not that I could, but…”_

_He stepped forward. I gazed up at him._

_“In case you’re ever in the dark and need a smidgeon of light to find your way,” he answered. “You will find it here.”_

_I found myself nodding. His smile widened and he slipped inside the caravan. I stared for a moment before heading on in after him. Curling up on the sofa, sleep came easier this time. The last thing I remembered was a soft warmth covering me._

Ignis said nothing for a minute. I stood awkwardly, shifting weight from one foot to the next, twisting my wrists nervously. My eyes darted left, then right, then to Ignis, then left and right again. Wind swirled the leaves on the ground, making a ruffling, crinkling sound. A twig snapped somewhere in the distance.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” my companion said finally. “Why he wears a mask of pretension around others but lowers it for you.”

“There’s this…” I paused. “Feeling… I get… Whenever I’m around him. Like a- like something’s tugging on my very soul. And from what I can tell, he feels it too. In fact, he actually told me he did.”

“Did he? It wasn’t a ruse of some sort for your compliance?”

I shook my head. “No. He seemed pretty sincere about it. And kinda… mad. Said I should ‘cancel the effect,’ whatever that means.”

Ignis hummed, rubbing his chin, brows together. “It’s… likely that… no, that’s impossible…”

“What? What is?”

“Nothing, just a delusion. But I can’t think of any other reason…”

“Reason for what?”

His gaze met mine dead on.

“Why you were brought here in the first place,” he stated ominously. I gulped.

 

Ignis and I managed to find more ingredients. Not enough for a full week, but we could always get more. When we arrived back at the caravan, Noctis had awoken and was playing King’s Knight with Prompto and Gladio. He told us he called Cindy and she was now on the lookout for the Regalia. Twilight fell. Soon it came time to eat. Dinner consisted of curry and rice, one of which I loved, the other I despised.

I lifted a spoonful of… whatever substance covered half my plate. I sniffed, wrinkling my nose at the spicy smell. Not wanting to seem ungrateful, part of the spoon was cleaned of its rider. I instantly started coughing. The food was _hot._ And not just any hot. It was _spicy._ My tongue started tingling, mouth warming to an unbearable degree. It didn’t even taste good.

Someone snorted. The others snickered as I downed half a bottle of water.

“What, can’t handle your curry?” Gladio teased. I looked down at my plate.

 _“That’s_ what this is?” I asked, appalled. I groaned. “No wonder…”

I scooped up some untouched rice and hoped it would replace the lingering taste and feel of the curry. I had never liked curry. The first time I tried it was in a restaurant in London on a school summer trip. Never again, I vowed. No more spices for me. None. The rest of that night I just ate the naan bread while my friend enjoyed her spicy hell they called a food.

“No curry for _____,” Ignis said. “Noted.”

“Sorry… The only spicy I like is mint, and that’s not even considered a spice.”

“Mint?” Prompto questioned.

“Mint is cold spicy. Like if cold had a taste. Well, it does, but I mean, like, a different, more distinguished taste.”

“You have really interesting thought processes,” Noct commented.

“Cold has a taste?” Gladio asked. “What’s it taste like?”

“Snow,” I answered, nodding. “Or certain kinds of ice. Mint is, of course, the best flavor. Right up there with cinnamon and snickerdoodles.”

“What’s a… snickerdoodle?” Noct repeated. My jaw dropped.

“Please tell me you have cookies here.”

“Uh, yeah…?”

“You mean to tell me you _don’t have snickerdoodles?”_

“That’s a cookie?”

“Sounds like some sort of code word,” Gladio quipped. I let out a prolonged whine that gradually descended in pitch until I sounded like the undead.

 _“How do you not have snickerdoodles?”_ I emphasized. “They’re only the best cookies ever! Like chocolate chip! But not, obviously. It’s cinnamon and tastes like coziness.”

It piqued Ignis’ interest and he soon was writing down more things in his notebook.

The next morning, Prompto eagerly woke us up for the chocobos. I changed shirts, now wearing the one with the black chocobo on it. Noctis and I stepped out into morning sunshine, rubbing our eyes. I hissed a bit at the sun’s bright glare.

“Good morning,” Ignis greeted, nodding.

“A morning’s only good if it’s a late one,” I muttered.

“Agreed,” Noct said.

After breakfast, Prompto dashed over to Wiz to tell him we’d like to ride the chocobos. My heart sank when the man said they couldn’t go out. When we asked why, he told us about some giant beast terrorizing the woods named Deadeye. That alone had me shivering. Noctis and the boys decided to take on the hunt. I asked if they were okay to do that after fighting Titan.

“You can sit this one out, too, if you want,” Noct said. “Sounds pretty dangerous.”

I thought it over. I could get some extra rest, maybe play with the chocochicks. But what if my friends needed me? Did they really? Again, I’d just be another person to worry about.

“Yeah…” I said. “I think I will. Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine,” Noct said. “We’ll be back soon, okay?”

I nodded. Once they had left, I went to start the book Ardyn gave me. Cosmogony. My heart flitted around in excitement. Mythology that was _real._

As I read through the first book in the tome, a picture caught my attention. An icy blue lady with little to cover her was fixed in the center of the page. Crescent moon wings sprouted from her back. The trim around the image frosted the edges and spiraled inward like a snowstorm until it reached her.

_Have I seen her somewhere before…?_

Blinding pain shot through my head and my vision went white.

_“And so, like the Fallen Son before her, she reaches the angel’s guard.”_

_A soft voice spoke behind me and I whipped around to see- a blur. What was I seeing? An angel? She was- yes, she - blue with wings sprouting from her back. I couldn’t make out a face, and suddenly the air became cold._

“The Lost Child of Eos…”

My head whipped up from its resting place on my chest. Gaze darting all over the caravan, nothing caught my eye. There was no one there but me.

_The fuck…? Now I’m hearing things…_

I rubbed my forehead, the pain starting to ebb away slowly.

_I hate to say it, but maybe some fresh air would be good._

_Yeah, that’s enough reading for today. I wonder if that had something to do with what Ignis said yesterday…_

I spent some time sitting on the ground with the baby chocochicks. They ran over my lap and nibbled my hair. One nestled itself in my crossed legs for a nap. Its yellow down caressed my hand as it passed over. So soft! So cute! If only my phone was still on so I could take a picture.

Another chick brought me a small stick that I threw for it. While we played fetch, Wiz came over to watch.

“You the gal travelin’ with those boys?” he asked. I tilted my head up and nodded, smile fading slightly. “You seem good with the birds. Wouldja be interested in helping ‘em out a bit?”

I tipped my head to the side. “What would I be doing?”

“Just feedin’ ‘em is all. I’m sure they’ll take to ya just like the chicks.”

The one in my lap chose that moment to run off after its siblings. It made the decision for me.

“Sure,” I said, standing up and dusting my hands off. Wiz led me over to the stables. Beautiful yellow birds stood in each stall, each similar but with their own look. My smile returned.

“Now they get rowdy around feeding time, so you just gotta have patience. And caution. Those beaks can do some nasty damage even on accident.”

One of the stable hands showed me how it was done as her break was coming up and her coworker had taken the day off. Soon I carried a basket of greens.

The first chocobo greeted me vigorously, rushing up and trying to snatch the greens from my basket. I held out a hand to stop him.

“If you’re not patient, you’ll get some last,” I warned. He seemed to understand and stood down, ruffling his feathers. It was comical, in a way, a small girl scolding a very large chicken.

The next couple ate their fill ravenously, but thankfully stayed still. The fourth reared back excitedly and I scrambled to get out of range before he calmed down. The fifth and sixth minded their own business like I didn’t exist. They ate when I left.

The last chocobo shied away from the new face she saw. I tried tempting her with a nice juicy leaf. She backed away. I tapped my chin. How could I get her to eat? I stared at the ground and snapped my fingers. ...Maybe I got that from Ignis.

Once a few greens were on the stable floor in her stall, I stood a few feet away. She eyed me cautiously. I turned my head, pretending not to be paying attention. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched her slowly inch towards the last of the greens. She dragged one leaf back a bit and ate it. Then she deemed it safe to continue. I admired her elegance and pretty feathers. A few of them were faintly tipped with black. If I was just a bit closer, I’d be able to see them better…

She drew back as I stepped forward. I halted. She stopped eating. I looked away. She tried another leaf. I turned back to her. She stopped again. One of my hands was outstretched. She glanced at it and chirped warily. I pulled it back. Her eyes met mine. She took a step back. I put my head down, a familiar scene in mind. Hand reaching forward, I waited.

Warm breath tingled my hand. I didn’t move and forced my breath to steady. A beak nudged my hand. And then…

I giggled as she nuzzled my head, sniffing. I turned back to her, petting her soft feathers. She qweyed cheerily at me and I laughed more, using both hands to tend to her.

“You’re just a bit shy, like me,” I told her quietly. “Do you have a name?”

A low chirp was her answer.

“Well, well, well, I’ll be!” Wiz came walking over. “That one doesn’t usually take to strangers. She must like you.”

I smiled at her. “Do they have names?”

Wiz shook his head.

“Nah,” he said. “Well, some of ‘em do, but we usually leave the names to the riders.”

I looked back at my new friend.

“Sleipnir,” I whispered. She nuzzled my hand. “I’ll call you Sleipnir.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don’t know, Sleipnir is the eightlegged horse from Norse mythology. He is a child of Loki and the steed of Odin.
> 
> WE HIT 1000 HITS THANK YOU SO MUCH MY LIFE HAS BEEN MADE. YOU ARE ALL WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO DESERVE THE BEST IN LIFE. I AM DONE SHOUTING NOW. Thank you~  
> -Your Local Writing Aspie


	15. Saxa, cuniculēs, et bona temporēs!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search for adventure and royal arms fuels the quintet as they wait for word on the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “Stones, mines, and good times!”
> 
> Yooooooooo
> 
> yeah Reader likes Undertale/Deltarune. Sue me. or Fight me. or both  
> idk why I’m telling you this  
> it might be more relevant in the distant future  
> anyway have fuuuunnn

“Haha, see you at the finish line!”

“Hey! Get back here!”

Prompto and his bird, Apollo, rushed ahead of me and Sleipnir. We both exhaled frustratedly and picked up our pace. Riding chocobos had taken some getting used to, but it was fun. We spent the rest of yesterday doing so after they proclaimed Deadeye dead. Now I was determined to win this race, my mostly unused competitive side peeking out.

Sleipnir was swift and eager with the right people. Apparently that meant me, according to Wiz. We got used to each other fairly quickly and had already beaten Noctis. Our smaller frames meant more agility. But Prompto was the smallest of the boys and he gave us a run for our money. But we had determination.

_Stay determined. The thought of winning this chocobo race fills you with determination._

A quick turn between Prom and the corner had us pulling ahead. I heard him shout as another slight kick left him in the dust. The finish line greeted us warmly and soon I hopped down, giving Sleipnir congratulatory pets.

The boys had let me name all their chocobos. Prompto’s was Apollo, Ignis’ was Minerva, Gladio’s was Odin, and Noctis’ was Hades. I felt proud of myself. Both boys and birds seemed to like the names. It made me happy.

Gladio and Noct took off.

“Very impressive,” Ignis said. I ruffled Sleipnir’s feathers.

“She did all the work,” I said. She chirped happily.

“That’s the third time!” Prompto cried. “I thought I had you!”

“We are small and swift,” I said matter-of-factly.

“You’re not much shorter than me.”

“I’m five four.”

“Yeah, but… still!”

The races didn’t take too long. Noctis managed to beat Gladio by a second. Then he took on Ignis. And lost. A few more and we headed back to the post for lunch. While we were there, we overheard someone talking about a mine not far from there. It was rumored to be haunted by daemons.

“Think we should check it out?” Noctis asked.

“It wouldn’t hurt to,” Ignis said. “Perhaps we can find a royal tomb nearby.”

We got directions from Wiz and, when lunch was finished, set off for the mines.

 _“Why_ is it in a desert?” I complained, mostly to myself.

“It must be rich in resources,” Ignis replied.

“I’m getting gold rush flashbacks, and I wasn't even there. Call me a forty-niner in two thousand nineteen.”

“Two thousand nineteen?” Noctis questioned.

“The year back home.”

“Your world is only two thousand nineteen years old?” Prompto asked. I rolled my eyes.

“No, it’s four point eight _billion_ years old. The year is fashioned in which year it is after Christ’s birth. Any time before that is either BC or BCE. They mean the same thing. Ancient civilizations.”

“Who’s Christ?” Gladio asked.

“He’s the man who died for our sins to be forgiven, God’s son. His name was Jesus. He traveled the land of Israel, teaching scripture and healing and helping people. And he cursed a fig tree once. That was funny.”

“Why?” Noct asked.

“It didn’t have any fruit so he got mad.”

“So you worship this man?” Ignis inquired.

“Ahh, some people do. Er, a _lot_ of people do. They worship God, and there are three persons in him, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

“Isn’t that just three gods?” Gladio asked. I shook my head.

“I think of it as… the Son and Holy Spirit come from the Father, but the Spirit also comes from the Son. It’s called the Trinity.”

“I… Okay.”

“God created the world, right? And then he made his son who came down to die for our sins so that we may have eternal life. And from those two comes the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life.”

_Oops I slipped into church speech there._

“Okay, that makes more sense,” Prompto said. “I think.”

“But not everyone worships the same god or gods. There are lots of different religions.”

“That’s so strange,” Noctis said. “Doesn’t everyone disagree on which ones are real?”

I slumped over Sleipnir.

“Yes,” I said weakly, voice cracking. “It’s kind of a problem. I wish everyone could just get along but alas, that is not the case, ever.”

The Balouve Mines were in a broken, closed off area. Train tracks trailed a path through the tall fence someone left open. We got down from our chocobos. I inspected the tracks. Yep. Trains.

“You guys have trains but not planes?!” I exclaimed.

“Uh, what’s a plane?” Prompto asked, confused. I groaned.

The inside of the mine was pitch black. Our little flashlight pins flicked on. An elevator rested not far from the entrance. It did not look safe. I hesitated.

“Um, should we be using that?” I asked as Noct opened the door.

“I’m sure it’s fine,” he said. I forced myself inside.

The damn thing shook as we descended. I braced myself in case it decided it hated us. My whole body tensed and I waited. It never fell.

“See?”

The door opened and out we walked. The miners had left a few lights, but there weren’t many. At least they brightened up some parts of the place The earthy smell of dirt drifted into my nose. It was cold. Except for the buzzing electricity of the mine lights, not a sound could be heard but our own footsteps.

Small daemons popped up every so often. It proved difficult to fight in such a tight space. I kept to the back so the guys could do their thing. I helped, of course, but I feared accidentally hitting one or more of my friends.

Soon we reached an open shaft. The floor gave way to the third floor. Only the train tracks kept going on until they met the other side. Carefully, all five of us stepped across the hall. I sighed in relief at the end. It was short lived.

Behind us appeared a large, human-looking monster. He actually looked like a samurai. Goblins filled the place as he swung at us with a very large sword. Noctis managed to parry and another battle began.

While Noctis and Gladio dealt with the samurai guy, Prompto, Ignis, and I started swinging (and shooting) at the goblins. Prom and I found a good system - whatever he shot at, I landed the killing blow. It worked pretty well. Even if the only things lighting the corridor were our flashlight pins. I slashed at the little gremlins clawing at my legs. Ignis gracefully cut through them. Gladio and Noct had a hard time with the samurai.

And then we were suddenly thrown off the platform. And by we, I mean Prompto and me. The samurai disappeared.

I nearly landed on my face, tumbling over Prompto. The pain hit me like I had purposely ran and jumped sideways into a wall. The wind was knocked out of me and when I took a deep breath, dust filled my lungs and I started coughing.

“Prompto?”

“________!”

“We’re okay!” Prompto wheezed. I propped myself on my elbow. Where the flashlight pin? Hands reached out into the dark, shuffling about for the pin and…

“My glasses!” I shouted hoarsely. “I lost my glasses!”

“Shit,” someone above said.

“Just… stay down there!” Noctis said. “We’ll come get you.”

“Prompto, is there a way for you to light the area you’re in?” Ignis asked.

“Uh, I’ve got my phone,” he said. He turned on its flashlight. “Don’t know how long it’ll last.”

“Stay put,” Gladio ordered. “We’ll be there as fast as we can.”

We watched their lights dash back down the mineshaft. I sat back and crossed my legs. Prompto sighed, the light from his phone lighting his face spookily.

“How long do you think it’ll take?” I asked.

“I dunno,” he said. “Hopefully not long.”

We sat in silence for some time. I rubbed my arm, trying to make the ache go away. Then I tried brushing the dust and dirt out of my hair. When I shook my head to get some off, some of it smacked Prompto in the face. I could hear him sputtering.

“Hey!” he protested. I started giggling.

“Sorry,” I said. He placed his phone face down on the ground so the area was more illuminated. “Ah, that’s much better.”

In all the corners the light reached, my glasses could not be found. My eyes searched everywhere their field of vision could see.

“I can’t see them.”

“Your glasses?”

“Yeah.”

“Here.”

He got up onto his knees and I did the same. Together we crawled around the space looking for anything that might glint in the phone’s light. Most of what I saw was fuzzy so Prompto did most of the work.

“Oh, here there are!”

Behind a rock, my glasses lied. Prom picked them up and gave them to me. I thanked him and we went back to our sitting spots. My glasses were all dusty. Try as I might, the little specks just would not come off. I groaned slightly in frustration.

“These are useless if they aren’t clean,” I muttered. I set them in my lap. Maybe Ignis could help when he got here.

More silence. I’d expected Prompto to have conversation at the ready. Oh well. If he didn’t want to talk, then I wouldn’t force him.

There was no sound. A few clicks here and some clacks there, but otherwise… Nothing. The air was stuffy, tickling my nose. I tried not to sneeze. The earthy smell of the mine drifted all around us.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been in a place this dark. If Prompto didn’t shuffle every so often and the phone light was gone, I would’ve started questioning his really being there.

“Do you think they’ll really come back for us?” he asked suddenly.

“Huh?” I voiced, confused. Why would he think they wouldn’t? “Of course they will. They wouldn’t just leave us here.”

He sighed, seemingly dejected. “Yeah, I know, but… why?”

“What do you mean?”

He didn’t say anything.

“Prompto…?”

He looked… forlorn. His eyes were cast down, head doing the same. No smile adorned his face. His hands rested lazily in his lap.

“I just… don’t know why they would,” he answered quietly. Something must really bothering him.

“You’re their friend,” I said softly. “Of course they’d come back for you.”

He paused again. “Can… Can I tell you something? Since… I know you have similar feelings…”

“Of course. You can tell me anything.”

Mom Friend Mode activated.

“I…” He stopped. “Sometimes I wonder why they keep me around. I don’t really add much to the group. I’m not a prince like Noct, or smart like Ignis, or good with people like Gladio. I’m just a commoner who likes taking pictures.”

The hopelessness in his flat voice tugged at my heart.

“Prompto, you _do_ add something to the group, even if you can’t see it. Without you, it’s not as vibrant and colorful. You make them happy and help carry the weight. You’re really refreshing in stressful times.”

“That’s just it, though. I’ve worked so hard to get there. I’m the happy-go-lucky guy, always energetic and ready to go. But I don’t know if that’s who I really am, y’know? And… I think they’d be better off without me…”

Oh my heart. “I know. And it’s okay to think that. I think that about myself all the time, even before coming here.”

I gathered my thoughts.

“It’s not so much… who you look like or where you come from that matters, but what you do, who you strive to become. That’s why they consider you their friend. Because you _are.”_

“You… really think so? I’m not just… dead weight?”

“Coming from someone who similar thoughts concerning themself, yes, I do think so. Y’know, whenever I worry about being too annoying or that maybe these people just keep me around ‘cause they’re being nice, I just think about how their lives would look like without me. How mine would look without them. Is there a difference? Yes, there is.”

“I see…”

He fell quiet once more. I patiently waited to see if he had anything more to say.

“So… Without me… the guys might be really depressed and have more weight on their shoulders? And they keep me around because we’re friends and that’s what friends do. They help each other.”

“There you go. I’m proud of you.”

“Thanks, ______. I really mean it. I didn’t mean to bother you, but… I don’t know, you just feel like someone I can talk to, y’know?”

“You’re never a bother, Prompto. Not to me, not to Noctis or Gladio or Ignis. Unless you’re specifically trying to be.”

We laughed for a second.

“So, uh, think they’ll get here soon?” he asked. At that moment, the telltale sound of daemons emerging echoed from the left side of the mineshaft. The gooey, stickiness of it caused me to shiver. “Oh no.”

We stood quickly. Prompto pointed his phone down the tunnel. A horde of goblins and gremlins hissed at the light and picked up their pace. There were too many for us to take. We looked each other in the eye and simultaneously said, “Run.”

We took off down the hall in the opposite direction. The daemons somehow ran faster and faster, crawling all over the floor and walls. I summoned my sword to slash at a few that picked at my jeans. Prompto fired a few shots behind us. A squelch met my ears, signalling he had killed one or two.

“Nice!” I shouted.

“Thanks!”

A fork in the road greeted us. Prompto shouted to go left when he saw a minecart blocking the right side. I gripped my glasses tightly and veered left. My heart was pounding, and I was starting to run out of breath. My footing stumbled and I slowed. My sword swung out at the goblins trying to catch me. I couldn’t keep up.

_I’m going die I’m going to die I’m going to die I’m going to die_

Right as Prompto realized I lagged behind, a flash of light suddenly lit our path and-

-I smacked right into Noctis. Gladio managed to catch Prompto, but Noct and I tumbled over. We both coughed. The other three began the fight with the daemons.

“Watch where you’re going,” Noct scolded.

“Sorry, I didn’t realize there’d be _people_ in an empty mineshaft!” I retorted.

“Now is not the time for arguing,” Ignis said. Now that there were five of us, the goblins were gone within minutes. “Are you two alright?”

“Yep!” Prompto said. “That was a close one.”

“No one’s hurt?” Noctis asked. I shook my head.

“My glasses are dirty, though,” I told him. Ignis offered to fix them for me. They were pristine when he handed them back. “Wow thanks. I don’t think they’ve ever been this clean before.”

“You’re quite welcome,” he said.

“Good thing you managed to find them,” Gladio said. I nodded.

“Which way now?” I asked. Noctis led us back to a steep slope that led both upwards and downwards. We began to descend. “Oh, further down. If only we had some canaries.”

I gained a chorus of chuckles and smiled.

 

After what felt like ages of wandering around mineshafts, killing goblins, and skirting by minecarts, our hard work paid off. A blocky room of white stone opened up before us. Ladders led down to the bottom. We took turns carefully climbing down.

“Is that limestone?” I questioned.

“It’s similar to other stone we’ve seen before,” Ignis speculated.

“You think there’s a royal tomb here?” I asked. “Why is there a tomb for _royalty_ in an abandoned mine? And- and- in a _dusty_ cave whose generator wouldn’t even work?”

“I believe the kings were buried there as they were places they added to Lucis landscape.”

“Oh. Well. That’s… tedious…”

Noctis whipped around then and backed up.

“We’ve got company,” he said. The samurai guy from the first floor shaft appeared. More goblins accompanied him. Our roles from the first fight returned. As Gladio and Noctis took on the samurai, Ignis, Prompto, and I took out the little gremlins.

Several minutes later, my arms grew tired. I still wasn’t used to using a sword or moving like that. My forearms ached and screamed at me to stop. I lowered my sword when the goblins stopped focusing on me. My clothes were sticking to my skin and sweat dripped down the sides of my face. My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath.

They just coming. I only managed to get a few seconds break and then another goblin came to claw at me. When it dissipated, a sharp cry pierced the air. Prompto was down.

The other three weren’t doing too well and were busy with the samurai. Noctis tried to get over to him, but was knocked over by the monster’s katana. I raced over to him, and helped him up - without healing him - and we both sprinted to Prompto.

I propped him up against a wall. Bruises and blood had been splattered all over his skin and clothes. Cuts dotted his skin and a few deep gashes painted his side where the cloth was ripped. Noctis told me to stand watch. I stood with them behind me.

“Here,” Noct said, handing his best friend a bright orange feather. I heard the sound of revival that came with using potions. “Feel better?”

“Yeah,” Prompto groaned. “Thanks, Noct.”

I noticed that just the samurai was left. Noct helped Prom to stand. I turned to see the latter had been fully healed.

“Everything okay?” I asked. He nodded.

“Thanks,” Prom said. Noctis checked to make sure he was still okay before summoning his full armiger and taking off after the samurai.

“Hey, I forgot part of my speech earlier,” I said, letting myself rest as Prompto fired off several shots. “They’re your friends, right? They shouldn’t care- no, rather… they’ll always support you, no matter who you are or who you choose to be. And if they don’t, they’re not true friends. But these guys-?”

“They are!” Prompto shouted, firing a piercing shot. Noct landed the final blow and the samurai fell. I smiled.

“Yeah, they are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. This and probably the next chapter or two will recount what happened in the time between fighting Titan and when Gentiana appeared. They will also work on character relationships! So I hope you’re looking forward to them!


	16. Gladius et clipeus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladiolus decides to try a more hands-on approach with Dear Reader’s training.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “The sword and the shield”
> 
> We’re updatin’ fast, folks. I’m producing chapters faster than you can say “man of no consequence”  
> Let’s go!

“_______, you’re still holding back! Give him all you’ve got!”

A day had gone by after our mining expedition. Noctis had managed to find a royal arm there and was now testing it out. Against me. I didn’t want to hurt him, or myself. But Gladio’s orders were making me nervous. Thankfully Noct was going easy on me.

I thrust forward. Noct parried. He gave me small tips but I was still a beginner. I slashed, he dodged. And vice versa. This had been going for quite some time and my arms were starting to ache. My arms and parts of my legs stung from all the nicks Noct had gotten in.

“Don’t hold back,” he said. “I can take it.”

Well he did take on a god. And the empire. At the same time. Hmm…

I rushed him, slashing diagonally from the bottom left up to the right with all the strength my smaller body could muster. Noctis stumbled.

“Atta girl!” I heard Gladio call. “Keep it up!”

I slashed again from the opposite direction. Noct blocked it and pushed me back. I couldn’t keep my balance and started to fall. Noct caught my hand and pulled me back up.

“Not bad,” he said. “For a beginner.”

I smiled shyly. “I have good teachers.”

“That’s only half of it,” Gladio said. “The rest is all you. I think that’s good for today.”

We had set up camp near the chocobo post. It was situated by a forest called the Nebulawood, where Ignis and I had gone looking for ingredients. In the morning, Noct and I had gone over elemental magic. My aim was steadily improving, but my control needed work. I always ended using too much and had lit several bushes (and one tree) on fire. Using ice was my favorite. It came easier to me than fire or lightning. It’s kind of like the cold and I mixed well together, like a glove and a hand.

As for healing, well, it’d only been a day. But along the whole journey so far, I had been practicing summoning the teal light consciously. I used Noctis’ element training and soon I could control the light energy coming forth from my hand. It didn’t last long, but I could do it now.

I flopped down onto the rock of the Oracle Runes, lying sideways and facing away from the center.

“How did it go?” Ignis asked.

“She’s doing better,” Gladio said. “Starting to put more effort into it.”

“Your yelling scares me,” I told him.

“Good. That’s what it’s supposed to do.”

“I hope it doesn’t frighten you too much,” Ignis prompted. I shrugged and regretted the action. My shoulders burned from all the movement they were unused to.

“If it gets me to improve, I can deal with it,” I said.

“That’s the spirit,” Gladio said.

Minutes went by. The others did various things, like messing around with Prompto’s camera or reading or whatever. I wasn’t really paying attention. Slowly I drifted into sleep.

_The chill of the cold pierced me quickly. I curled up into a ball, holding my knees. It was freezing. I could feel a snowstorm swirling around me, the wind yowling and snowflakes sticking to my skin. Slowly they covered me. My breathing slowed. It was… so cold… And I was so tired…_

_Crunching pulled me from giving in to frostbitten sleep. I pried my eyelids open with sheer force of will. The snow had not yet fully blanketed me. A figure could be seen in the distance. I squinted. They came closer and closer… ever closer until they reached my frozen body which started to shut down and the cold could no longer be felt. Every inch of me had gone numb._

_I managed to gaze up at the shadowy figure. They became a dark blue and bent down. My eyes widened and I tried to shuffle away but I couldn’t feel my arms or my legs. Panic set in. Who was this person? What did they want? Why weren’t they helping me?_

_They reached out a small azure hand. I whimpered. My mouth couldn’t open or at least, I don’t think it could. It was hard to tell. I squirmed as the hand came closer. Then it was on my shoulder._

_And the cold and numbness faded. Feeling returned. I moved my fingers and wiggled my toes. My mouth opened and closed. All in perfect order. I hauled myself into a sitting position. The whirling snow and screaming wind still covered my savior. I stared up at them. No features struck out except for two things protruding from their back. Were those wings?_

_“Are y-you a-an…” I stuttered. “Are you… Are you an angel?”_

_The figure shook their head._

_“It is time to wake up,” they said. Their voice… It sounded familiar._

_“But I’m not asleep,” I said, confused. How did I get here again?_

_“The time has come for you to take your place amongst the peoples of this world. Your gifts and abilities shall prove useful in the days to come. Use them wisely.”_

I jerked awake. The evening sun stared me in the face. I groaned and covered my eyes with my hand. A breeze blew by, chilling the air around me. I shivered slightly.

_“The Blessing of the Glacian goes with you.”_

I sat up and rolled my shoulders. A dull pain came from them. I used one hand to rub at one. A hiss broke the air. It still hurt.

“You okay?” Noctis asked me.

“Did you guys hear that?” I rasped, still sleepy.

“Hear what?” Gladio asked.

“That voice…”

“What voice?” Prompto asked quickly, scared. I stood up. The fifth chair became occupied. I scratched at my head, blinking.

“Did something happen?” Ignis asked concernedly.

“Uh…” I voiced eloquently. “I had a weird dream. And then when I woke up, some voice whispered… Oh, what did she say…”

“She?” Noctis questioned.

“Yeah, I think it was a girl. Ummm… Something about a glacier? Or… Or was it a blessing… No wait, ‘the blessing of the glacier goes with you.’ Whatever that means.”

“You’ve been blessed by the Glacian?” Ignis said quickly. His hands gripped the arms of the chair.

“Uh, maybe? I don’t know.”

“Tell us what you saw in the dream.”

I told them what happened. There was much more detail in this one than the first. By the time my little story was done, the four guys sitting around me were looking shocked.

“So…” Noctis said after a long period of silence. “You got the Glacian’s blessing _before_ me?”

“I… guess?” I answered. “No idea _why,_ though. I’m just… some insignificant human from another world- you don’t think _she_ brought me here, do you?”

Ignis stood. He paced back and forth as he thought.

“Got anything, Specs?” Gladio asked “‘Cause personally, I have no clue what the hell this means.”

“_______, do you recall our conversation from the other day?” Ignis asked. I blinked.

“Yyyyyeaaahh, why?” I said slowly.

“Should we encounter Ardyn again, and I have a strong feeling we _will,_ you _cannot_ tell him about this. Do you understand?”

I sighed. “Yeah. I wasn’t planning on it. He told me they killed the Glacian already so it’d probably be bad.”

“Just how many gods do they plan on getting rid of?” Noctis asked angrily, leaning forward.

“No idea,” I said shortly.

“Most likely all of them,” Ignis said. “They went out of their way to fell the Archaean. And I’m sure the fight with Shiva was no walk in the park… I’m not sure what they’re planning, but it isn’t good.”

“They have to be stopped,” Noctis growled. “First Insomnia, now the Six?”

“Can’t do much without the car,” Gladio said. “I say we start looking for it ourselves.”

“What about the part where _______ has to take her place in our world?” Prompto cut in. “Does that mean she can’t get home?”

I hunched over in my seat. My arms were crossed for support. The ground looked nice.

“_______?”

“You okay?” Gladio asked. I nodded, to exhausted to feel anything too powerful.

“I just…” I sighed. “I’ll just have to get used to it. Come to terms with it.”

“Take all the time you need,” Ignis said softly.

“Yeah, just…” Noctis tried. “Yeah. What Iggy said.”

They let a moment of quiet pass. My thoughts collected themselves and were organized in the “ignore until later” file.

“So we have two people connected with the gods,” Gladio spoke.

“So cool!” Prompto cheered. “My best friends are gonna change the world!”

I smiled at my lap. These guys really were too sweet.

 

“So, uh, why is it just _me?”_

“The other three have enough experience. If you’re going to get better, we’re going to have to find something you’re not afraid to hurt.”

About three days had passed since my dream. In that time, we had gone looking for the car by chocobo and found nothing. Cindy hadn’t heard from anyone either. So Gladiolus decided to up my training regimen.

And it was utter hell.

The first day he was forced to stop due to my body screaming at me for rest. I still wasn’t used to exerting myself in such a way. The second day, he pushed me a bit further, but Ignis cut in. I’d never been more grateful for him. I woke up everyday aching and wishing for death to take me quickly. It never came. The third day was the same as the other two. Then Gladio decided to take me on a personal “walking tour” of the wilderness, aka, we’re going to go find shit to kill so you don’t have to hold back. I still feared hurting my friends.

Magic training was going much, much better. I enjoyed setting things on fire. Many things got struck by lightning. After my Shiva dream, my control over ice was the best. It had changed a bit, too. I could frost things over and create snowballs. Just that so far, but the more practice I got in, the more advanced things I could do.

The small lake by the chocobo post proved to be a good spot for all of us. Noctis got to fish, Prompto snapped some great pictures, and Ignis cooked the fish Noct caught. Now Gladio was dragging me around its perimeter. It had rained the day before, so my shoes were getting wet and I feared the same happening to my socks.

“Yeah, but isn’t fighting innocent wildlife a bit cruel?” I asked.

“In the wild, it’s kill or be killed,” Gladio answered. I stared at him in horror.

“Well, gee, thanks, Flowey…”

“Flowey?”

“Only the universe’s most evil flower.”

“Right. Naturally.”

“It’s from a video game.”

“Anyway, what we’re hunting ain’t innocent. These things’ve been attacking people so we gotta take ‘em out.”

I sighed and begrudgingly followed him. Clouds streaked the sky. Some dark ones hung low in the distance, promising more rain. Hopefully we’d have the car before then. Camping in the rain was my new least favorite thing.

The weird armadillo things grazed nearby. We went around them, crossing into the treeline of the Nebulawood. Growling could be heard in front of us. I assumed it was whatever we were hunting.

“We couldn’t be hunting ghosts instead?” I muttered. “Like the Winchesters? Or demons?”

Gladio hushed me. “They’re close.”

We snuck behind a bush and peered over it. Some odd looking dogs were standing in a pack. Their skin or fur or whatever was striped yellow and brown. Giant claws protruding from their feet and their snarling snouts didn’t seem any friendlier.

“We have to _fight_ these?” I whispered.

“Shut up and follow my lead.”

Gladio crept around the foliage, sword in hand. He gestured to the enemies and held up three fingers. Did he seriously think he could take out three in one hit or did he mean for me to join when three were gone?

I watched as the pack of what I later learned were Voretooths became prey as Gladio’s wrath descended upon them. I realized if he and Noct could take on the empire while fighting a god, he was probably fine. I really needed to remember how capable these guys actually were.

Three of the Voretooths fell and I summoned my courage and darted out, striking one down. Now that I was putting my life on the line, it did feel much easier to put my training to good use. These things looking hideous helped, too. Better put them out of their misery.

One by one, the remaining seven perished until only one stood. Gladio and I had been at separate ends of the clearing. I turned after pulling my sword from the side of one of the beasts. Gladio struck the second to last down. He didn’t notice the one behind him. A crackling could be heard as I used lightning to electrocute it. Gladio spun around to see a half burnt Voretooth lying on the ground.

“Quick thinking,” he said. I smiled weakly. One of them had nicked my calves and another had bitten my arm. I couldn’t heal myself. “Here.”

He handed me a hi-potion. I crushed it and relished the feeling of my energy being replenished as well as the cuts and bite closing up.

“This world does things _right,”_ I said happily.

The walk back to the post got interrupted by a giant frog crushing me. And it would not get up. My glasses were knocked off as I tried to escape. It felt like being flattened by a rubber ball. All its weight pushed onto me. I couldn’t breathe.

“Shit!” Gladio shouted. He swung his greatsword. “Hang on!”

All the air was squeezed out of me. My face was shoved into the dirt. I made the mistake of trying to inhale. The only sound was me attempting and failing to breathe and the glimpses of a sword hitting something. Dark spots began to dot my vision. Small, sharp stones dug into my skin. I tried heaving myself up. A large force shoved me back down. My ears started ringing. My forehead had hit a larger stone.

A dry cough scratched my throat. My lungs were on fire and slowly started to ebb away from feeling. It was like they had disappeared. The edges of my sight darkened until I could no longer see. Or hear. Or feel…

Air filled my lungs as I gasped. The large weight was gone. Gladio hovered over me, worry contorting his face. I noticed I was now lying on my back. I turned over and coughed, small specks of dirt coming out. I spat the rest out, or what little I could. The next few seconds were spent dry heaving.

“Thank the Six you’re alright,” Gladio sighed, helping me sit up. “I almost thought I’d have to carry you back to the ranch.”

I nodded, not wanting to speak just yet. My throat hurt, my breath tickling it uncomfortably. I managed to sit without support. I’d never been a living pancake before.

“We should get back before something comes.”

I nodded again. I wobbled a lot when I stood. Gladio let me use him as a crutch. I stumbled over roots and rocks. The scratch on my forehead would hopefully be gone soon. Every limb ached and hurt. Feeling slowly returned to my middle.

“Hey, how’d it- Ignis, get out here!” Noctis rushed over to help us as we reached the caravan. Prompto stood behind him, not knowing how to help. Ignis burst from the van, taking one look at me and hurried over after Noct. I was sat down in a chair at one of the tables. Gladio explained what had happened as Ignis assessed me. This time I got to use an elixir. Renewment washed over me. It still hurt to breathe though. Prompto handed me a water bottle. I took a sip, swirled the water around and spat out to the side. The next went down my throat.

“Thanks,” I said, voice hoarse and scratchy. “I swallowed way too much dirt.”

Noct and Prom looked a tad disgusted.

“So the hunt went alright, but you were ambushed on the way back?” Ignis reiterated, wiping me off with a wet cloth. I jerked my head away. He forced me to hold still.

“Yeah,” Gladio said. “Thing’s dead now.”

“Good,” said Noctis. “Or I’d have to go find it myself.”

“There,” Ignis muttered. He drew his hand away. “All better.”

“Thanks again,” I mumbled, drinking more water. The rest of the day I was to stay at the post.

 

The next day, they miraculously let me sleep in. When Noct woke up at the same time, I understood why. The rule was that if one of us was up, so was the other. I yawned and so did he.

“Time is it?” he asked. I shrugged. As he got dressed, I flopped back down. “Hey, come on. It’s almost noon.”

I dragged myself outside.

Gladio went easier on me that day. The attack yesterday and my general sleepiness didn’t make for a good combination. By the time evening came round, however, I felt much better. I had managed to frost the ground over and it made me happy. All five of us trekked out to a campsite. Noct now let me take almost all the ice magic. We shared the fire and lightning. As the sun began to go down, Ignis announced he, Prom, and Noct were going to search for a few ingredients for the night’s dinner.

“Cool,” Gladio told them. “______ said she wanted to hunt daemons, so I snagged a couple more bounties.”

“I was joking!” I protested. “I didn’t mean _those_ kinds of daemons. I meant the kind that possess people!”

“So soon?” Ignis said sternly.

“I’ll go with them,” Noctis said, walking over to us. “You two be careful, alright?”

Ignis wanted to say something against it, but kept quiet.

“Just be careful,” he said.

Noctis, Gladiolus, and I began our search for daemons in the dark. There were two groups to look for: some lightning orbs and more mini Cthulhus. Some sparking by the lake alerted us to the former. We approached cautiously yet casually. My fingers crackled excitedly, electricity pulsing.

“Ready?” Gladio asked. Noct nodded.

“_______,” he said, “make it a frozen hell on earth.”

“You mean Eos,” I quipped back. My hand froze over. I clenched my fingers into a fist. The small little orb daemons jerked and cried out as the ground beneath them froze over and snowflakes whirled around. Gladio and Noctis lashed out and with the three of us, the monsters were quickly defeated.

“Good work,” Noct said. He looked at me. “Your magic’s gotten a lot better.”

I smiled.

The mini Cthulhus, also known as mindflayers, gave us more trouble. We didn’t bother using magic first this time because they noticed us quickly as we fought off several imps. They dissipated and our attention immediately turned to the hunt at hand.

There were three of them, one for each of us. The only problem was that they began to single Noctis out. Gladio managed to beat one back, and furiously hacked away at its tentacles. I stayed closer go Noct and did my best to back him up. However, the tentacles were too much for me and I fell back. My form began to slouch. Foggy thoughts swirled around in my mind. I felt drowsy. Dammit, the mindflayer was sapping my lifeforce again!

A sword suddenly struck the creature right above my head. Noctis warped with it.

“Are you ready to fucking die?” he roared at the daemon. I stumbled and regained my senses. With a lazy slash I moved out of the way.

“No!” I countered. “I’m a bad bitch. You can’t kill me!”

The two of us dispelled the daemon with a few well placed blows.

Just as we were about to cheer, Noct was snagged by the third. Gladio had been fighting it and the second off. As soon as our prince disappeared into its hold, he ventured to get it off. The second wouldn’t let him. It tugged and tugged at him, most likely believing I wasn’t much of a threat.

“You get Noct!” he ordered. “I’ll take care of this one.”

“Okay,” I said to myself. I steadied my sword arm. “Okay. I can do this. Okay.”

I rushed the mindflayer. My arms worked carefully to free my friend. A tentacle lashed out. I chopped it off. How? I don’t know. The moment was a blur. I slashed at the other tentacles. They retreated. I aimed for the head. But I was too small to reach. The cut landed on its middle. Noct came tumbling out, hacking up the gas it tried injecting him with. I drove my sword up through the opening. The mindflayer faltered and evaporated into the night.

I shook some residue goop off my hand.

“Hey, Noct, want some ectoplasm?” I asked, holding it out to him. He crawled backward.

“Fuck no,” he said grossly. He stood, wiping his hands on his pants. “But thanks, for saving me.”

“Toldja she’d do better out in the field,” Gladio praised, slapping an arm around me. “Twenty four more years and she’ll give me a run for my money.”

“The sword and the shield,” Noct joked. “I like it.”

I laughed. We all did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah. So, basically, the idea behind Reader and Shiva is that: if Ardyn has the support of the Infernian, then Reader gets the Glacian’s. I’m sure you can figure out why~


	17. Propositum nostrum clarus existit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quintet receives a message from the gods and continues their journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “Our objective becomes clear”
> 
> Sup  
> I’ve been writing instead of doing my homework  
> I hope it’s worth it lol

A week passed by. My training continued. I no longer ached as much. Snowflakes covered every surface I could find. My blessing from Shiva proved to be fun. My friends, however, started to find it a bit annoying.

It didn’t help that we had to wait for the tables to thaw before eating.

“Alright, no more freezing the table tops,” Noctis said one morning. I sulked guiltily. An hour later he got hit in the head with a snowball. I couldn’t act innocent. I was the only one who could do that. Our sparring that day ended quickly and with me flat on my back.

Another day he woke me up when he and Prompto went to go take pictures. I helped Ignis make breakfast that morning. I made it snow over Noct’s head for half an hour in retaliation. I couldn’t manage any it for any longer.

Then, after the week had passed with no sign of the car, I woke up to see Noctis, Prompto, and Gladiolus were nowhere in sight.

“Did they die?” I asked sleepily. Ignis was reading by the campfire. I had spent more time around him in the past few days. He was becoming a good friend.

“If only,” he joked back. “They bet on whose chocobo was fastest. I decided not to partake.”

“Probably a safe bet.”

Some time passed in comfortable silence. I gazed up at the cloud ridden sky. Rain would come soon. I could smell it. And feel it, since I had been reduced to a drowsy mess.

“You were talking in your sleep last night,” Ignis said. My eyebrows furrowed.

“That’s… weird,” I voiced. “That’s not something I usually do.”

“I know, which is why I thought perhaps you need someone to talk to.”

“...What was I saying…?”

“Well… Nonsense, mostly. Something about a pirate and not having enough gold for the captain. But then you started panicking, twisting in your blanket. Noct managed to calm you down. So I was wondering if maybe there was something on your mind.”

I thought for a moment. Nothing new had me worried. Just the usual fear of not getting home and wondering what would happen in the future. But… Actually, something else _had_ been on my mind.

“I… I guess I just…” I swallowed. “If I _do_ get home, I’m just wondering what will happen to you guys. I’ll miss you.”

Ignis seemed a bit surprised. He recovered swiftly and gave me a warm smile.

“That’s good to hear, in some way,” he said. “We’ll miss you, as well. And I’m sure in time, we’ll learn what is to come. But I’m sure we’ll be fine. Just a bit heartbroken is all, but glad you’ll be somewhere safe, and back home.”

A high pitched, choked sound came from my throat. My body tilted to the right. He was so sweet. By the gods, he was _so sweet._

“You’re making this really hard on me,” I rasped. He just laughed.

When the guys got back, they packed up the camping stuff and we headed to the caravan after seeing a forecast for rain. Someone decided to turn on the radio situated on the table nearby. A man with an English accent was talking about blockades being put into place to catch the people who were responsible for the attack on the Crown City. That was bullshit, but it wasn’t like we could do anything about it. Then he addressed the earthquakes caused by Titan.

“I can’t believe it,” Prompto said. “Shouldn’t the car have turned up by now?”

“Yeah…” I agreed.

“We should wait until Cindy’s done asking around the local garages before we despair,” Ignis said. I thought it was odd that so much time passed and yet she still hadn’t finished.

“Let’s not fool ourselves,” Gladio said. “The empire has it.”

A pang of guilt shot through my heart, even though it was nowhere near my fault.

“Then maybe we could ask Ardyn to help us out again, right?” Prompto suggested hopefully. I perked up, surprised. I couldn’t help the shy smile that formed.

“The imperial chancellor,” Gladio said sarcastically.

“He represents a problem,” Ignis countered, “not a solution.”

“But what if we get _______ to do it?” Prompto said. “If it was her doing the asking, he’d help out, dontcha think?”

“I don’t want him near her again,” Noctis stated. I shrank back. “Specs is right. Something’s not right between them.”

“I’m right here!” I said, irritated. “And I can hardly help it.”

“So where does that leave us?” Prom asked. I huffed at being ignored and crossed my arms.

“Stranded,” Ignis told him, “awaiting word from Hammerhead.”

_Still no actual sharks…_

“In the meantime,” Gladio said, “we’ll have to hoof it.”

Prompto suddenly brightened.

“Look!” he said. “It’s Umbra!”

When Noct tried to talk to the dog, it ran away, expecting us to follow.

“Someone’s sending us a message,” Ignis said.

We chased after Umbra for a minute. He led us to a clump of trees not far from the chocobo post. Noct stopped for a second and gasped slightly.

“Gentiana…” he said. We all followed his gaze. A woman with straight black hair and closed eyes stood some feet away. I found her black and white dress to be rather strange for the setting. She held herself regally, and began to speak.

“Hear me, O King of the Stone,” she said gently. My eyes narrowed. “By the Stormsender’s blessing will the path to the Stone be opened. The Oracle goes hence in her King’s name.”

“That voice…” I whispered to myself.

_It sounds familiar._

“Luna-!” Noctis started. “Where is she now?”

“The eye of the Storm,” Gentiana answered. “When the covenant is forged, the Oracle and ring shall await their King at the Walls of Water. Stray not from the path.”

Noctis sighed, looking down for a moment. Gentiana opened her eyes and met my scrutinizing stare. She smiled and nodded before disappearing into thin air.

“She’s a messenger,” Ignis explained. “A spirit, faithful to the Oracle.”

“Her voice sounded familiar,” I said.

“I’m not surprised. It was probably she who you’ve heard in your dreams.”

I thought silently as Noct tended to the notebook Umbra carried. He started moving not long after. We followed.

_Why did that messenger nod at me? Is she really the one delivering the dreams? Maybe I’ll get a chance to talk to her._

“Lady Lunafreya has done well to keep the ring from falling into enemy hands,” Ignis said, startling me from my thoughts. Prompto mentioned Altissia next, to which Ignis replied that all we needed was a ship. A place called Caem might serve us well.

“The hidden harbor.” Gladio answered the question forming on my lips. “Just might work. I’ll ask Iris to set it up.”

“I guess being a noble has its perks,” I said quietly.

“You know it.”

On the way to… wherever we were going, the rain began its fall. I pulled my hood up, wishing I could shield Sleipnir as well. Poor thing had to just deal with it herself. I muttered praise to her and she chirped.

It turns out we were going to a sort of ravine. A shimmering green, petrified tree lied at the end. The air around it was charged with electricity. I could feel the energy from the tree as Noctis reached out. His eyes turned purple, power bursting forth from the bark. I registered what had happened. Then I noticed someone speaking.

_“Foreign hordes fear the True King’s ascension.”_

_True King? Is that Noctis?_

_“The fearful seek to seal the path of what must come.”_

“What is it?” Prompto asked Noct. “Another headache?”

“I heard her,” the prince answered. “Gentiana.”

“Is it weird that I heard her too?” I asked.

“Almost,” Ignis said, “but because we know of your connection to the gods, not much surprises me anymore.”

“Maybe she wants to make sure you know your place in all this,” Noctis speculated. “Like your Glacian dream said.”

“But… Okay.” I sighed, defeated.

_But why let me hear messages meant for Noctis? Unless there’s more to come…_

There were more to come. We came upon the next location and Gentiana’s voice made itself known to me and Noct once again.

_“The covenant is forged but the revelation awaits. Make now for the Stormsender and let judgment be passed.”_

_Oh… So I’m going to be judged by a god. Good to know, I guess. Fun times._

The final tree rested in a cave called Fociaugh Hollow. Prompto wasn’t keen on going in. We had to anyway. It had been revealed to us specifically.

“I can’t quite make out how deep it runs,” Ignis observed. The hollow was dark and wet from the rain. Ramuh really didn’t mess around when it came to covenants and judgment. The endless downpour showed no sign of stopping. At least we had shelter now.

At the end of the cave, the wall split in two. Noctis said there should be enough room to squeeze through. I loathed the feeling of getting stuck between the walls of stone, but I made myself do it anyway.

“Oh this reminds me of Fat Man’s Squeeze at Rock City,” I groaned. My body frantically worked to pull me through. I sighed in relief when I got out.

Then Prompto got kidnapped. His yelling caused us to rush back to an opening in the rock. There was no sign of him.

“Are you okay?!” Gladio called.

“No I’m NOT okay! This place is _literally_ the worst! And why did it have to be a _snake?”_

I couldn’t help but giggle a bit at the image of a small snake taking Prompto.

We ran through the cave to find him. The snake had dropped him halfway. We continued warily until a large opening caused us to halt.

“Perfect place for a boss battle,” I muttered. A giant snake with a woman’s head dropped down from us.

“Have you… seen my… baby..?” she asked in a creaky, croaking voice.

_Nope. Fuck that. Let’s all board the Nope Train to Fuckthatville._

She attacked. I let the boys do most of the work. It wasn’t that I was too lazy (read: I was, just a little), but I really didn’t like the look of this thing. She was clearly a daemon, and a sentient one at that. I am not about either of those.

“______, get in here!” Gladio shouted. I shook my head behind a rock and said no. “Why the hell not?”

“There comes a time when you just can’t!” I called back. “You gotta draw a line somewhere! You gotta draw a fuckin’ line in the sand, dude. You gotta look inside yourself and say, ‘what am I willing to put up with today?’ NOT FUCKIN’ THIS.”

Without any kind of warning, a gas filled the area they were fighting in. When it cleared, four little frogs hopped around helplessly.

_“What the fuck?”_ I whisper-shouted. I stepped out from my rock. “All right, that’s it, bitch. _No one_ hurts my friends. You want your baby? _Come get her.”_

Wrong thing to say. I barely managed to parry her dive. I slashed and she dodged. She bit and grazed my arm. I hissed. I stabbed forward and nicked her. She coiled around me. I tried desperately to wriggle out. No avail. She squeezed tightly. The wind was knocked out of me. Then someone sliced her tail. She roared and tossed me aside. I hit the very rock that had once helped me. My head started spinning. I hauled myself up and slipped back onto my face. My glasses lied to my left. I retrieved them. The vision of the cave floor swam. I hadn’t taken notice of my hearing being gone until my ears were greeted with the noise of the naga’s demise.

Ignis sprinted to my side instantly. He helped me up. I leaned against the rock. One potion made standing seemed like a better option.

“Protective much?” Noct teased.

“Hey, you basically did the same for me,” I said. Maybe I should stop being so damn reckless. Then I wouldn’t get hurt as often.

_But you’re finally able to give back! Not well, but you can! You can help them finally! Just like they do for you!_

That made me happy. I’d endure the pain if it meant no one else getting hurt.

A small path led to the inner chamber. The shimmering bark leapt out immediately to greet us. Lightning struck the tree as Noct touched it. It ruptured in bright magenta sparks. That was it.

“This is it,” Noct said, “the power of the storm.”

“Eh, I expected more fire and brimstone,” Prompto said. I thought the same.

“Some gods are friendlier than others, I guess,” Gladio thought.

“But not all of ‘em,” Noctis said. “Poor Luna…”

“Perhaps you had better console her in person,” Ignis suggested. I nodded.

“I bet she’d love to see you,” I told Noct supportively.

The rain stopped. The sky was bright blue with small white clouds here and there. Overhead, a large triangular ship flew. The guys confirmed it as the empire’s. Noctis’ phone rang.

“Yeah,” he answered. Silence. “Yeah? ...Ugh…… Don’t worry about it. We’ll figure it out. ...Yeah, thanks for the heads up. Later.”

He hung up.

“Who was that?” Gladio asked.

“Cindy.”

_Finally. Thank God._

“What?” Prom exclaimed. “You can’t talk to her that way.”

“Yeah, I can,” Noct said. “I just did.”

Cindy had confirmed our suspicion of the Regalia being in the empire’s clutches. I simmered silently. They had cost us a lot of time. Noctis said that we should retrieve her now. And then a sharp pain shot through my skull.

_“The Oracle is not the only one to lie in wait. The Fallen Son anticipates the return of his beloved. He grows restless in her absence. May she be filled with the strength to continue. The journey has not ended.”_

The pain faded. I stared at Noctis.

“Did you hear that?” I asked. He nodded slightly.

“Only some of it,” he answered. “Just two sentences.”

“What did you hear?” Ignis asked. I swallowed.

“Something about the strength to continue,” I relayed, “and the journey having not ended yet.”

“Guess we gotta act quick,” Gladio said. Noctis summoned the chocobos. As the others mounted, I pulled Ignis aside. I wasn’t sure why, but he was the only one I trusted with the full knowledge of what Gentiana had said.

“Can- Can I tell you the rest later?” I asked. “In private?”

He nodded. “Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one’s p short, I know  
> *Ardyn voice* But worry not!  
> *normal voice* The next one’s got feels and more Ardyn!! Yay!!  
> But only briefly. But hey, he’ll have his moments ;)
> 
> (Captain Marvel comes out soon I’m super excited. Is anyone else a Marvel fan? Are you excited too? Endgame is going to destroy us all :) )


	18. Well, Well, Well, If It Isn’t The Dawning Realization That I Fucked Up Real Bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis and company are on a hunt for the Regalia. What happens when they find it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you ready for an Ardyn cameo and FEELS?  
> I’m not

The ride to the imperial base took a lot longer than any of us had anticipated. Several times, small troops would stop us and attack. I lost count of how many there were. Our potion and elixir supply started to wane. A nasty cut on Gladio caught my attention. One touch and he was healed. And then I started coughing.

The hacks of air shot up through my throat. They scratched at the sensitive skin. I covered my mouth with my hand. When it pulled back, just liquid slicked my palm. Specks of… something lied here and there. I wiped my hand off on my jeans.

“You okay?” Gladio asked. I nodded.

“Hope I’m not getting sick,” I teased, half serious. I hadn’t taken into consideration diseases in this world. I had no immunity to anything that differed from Earth. Should I fall ill, there was only so much the guys could do.

The fortress the Regalia rested at looked absolutely massive. By the time we reached it, night was falling. Its silhouette caused us to double back. Ignis explained that the walls were from an older fort of which the empire was now making use. Noctis led us to a camp not too far away. We’d stay the night, devise a plan for infiltration, and execute it the following evening.

After dinner, we plotted. Or rather, Ignis did.

“So, any bright ideas, Ignis?” Noctis asked. He, Gladio, Prompto, and I sat around the campfire. Iggy stood, pacing a bit.

“A dark one, as it were,” he answered. “A frontal assault would leave us exposed. But, if we moved under cover of night, we might be able to infiltrate the base unnoticed.”

“And until then?”

“We learn all we can about the base’s design and attempt to narrow down the Regalia’s location. I’ll analyze what intelligence we have available to find us a way in.”

“Sounds good, Specs.”

“Alright!” Prompto cheered. “We’re gonna get our wheels back!”

As per usual, I stayed up later than the others. The stars twinkled daintily at me. Instead of the typical feeling of contentment, it almost felt like they were mocking me. I frowned and lowered my gaze to the fire in front of me. When I decided to head to bed, I’d put it out.

_It’s about damn time,_ I told myself. _Your skills are improving. You can give back! You can help!_

_But is it a good idea? What if I get hurt?_

_Who cares-?_

_They will._

_But you’ll be useful. Think of all they’ve done for you._

I had fallen from the sky. Right when I thought I’d die, I was caught by four guys who were quick to adopt me into their close knit group. They had been incredibly sweet and understanding. They had offered to help me figure out what was going on.

Then they had lost their home. I knew how they felt. Thoughts of leaving them to get out of the way had pricked me from the get-go, but once I realized they needed emotional support, I couldn’t just abandon them. We had common ground, as heartbreaking as said ground was. Even if they couldn’t get me home, I could at least help them take back theirs. Try as I might, I just wasn’t up to standard then. I couldn’t fight, I couldn’t devise plans very well without knowing the world I had fallen into, and I sure as hell didn’t even know what to do. But I could heal them. I could give back just a sliver of the kindness they’d shown me.

_You’re getting emotional again._

That’s what happens when I go without my medicine for too long. I feel like crying more, and it’s easier to break down. The millionth lump formed in my throat. I wanted to help them. I wanted to help my friends as much as they’d helped me. And I would stop at nothing to make sure they knew how grateful I was, how grateful I’d always be.

I raised a hand to my eyes, wiping away little drops of water from the corners. I wouldn’t let myself cry again. I couldn’t.

_I’m so tired of crying. Why can’t I get mad? Why am I not angry for once? Why am I always sad and despondent instead of determined and out for blood?_

_Because you know violence isn’t the answer. Has Undertale taught you nothing?_

_You have no determination to speak of. All you have is Perseverance…_

_And Kindness._

“Dammit,” I whispered, voice cracking. “Why can’t I be filled with determination for once instead of depression…?”

The tent rustled. I ignored it. Maybe Noctis would come out again. Our little late night talks had been a source of comfort these past couple weeks. I heard the footsteps and waited. My form slouched in my seat. It’d be no surprise if it looked a tad pathetic.

“_______?” a soft English accent filled the void we call silence. “It’s late and we have a long day tomorrow.”

“Oh,” I breathed, devoid of emotion. “Hey. Thought you were Noctis.”

“So that’s where he gets to each night.” Ignis sat down next to me. “I remembered you wanted to tell me something. Then I noticed you weren’t in bed.”

“The stars are mocking me. They think it’s funny that I’m… I don’t know, but they don’t like me anymore.”

I wasn’t looking at him, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out he probably looked concerned.

“I’ll be honest,” he said, pushing his glasses up, “but I have no idea how to respond to that.”

“Yeah, same,” I laughed. “I’m just spiralling, is all. I’ll be fine. Maybe. Eventually.”

“How are you faring without your medication?”

“Should I answer chronologically or alphabetically?”

“In general, if you don’t mind.”

“Uh, well… Hmm… As of late, okay, I guess? You guys are good at distracting me. But when it’s just me, I don’t really feel… anything. Just kind of… empty.”

“I can’t say I’ve been depressed before, but the descriptions I’ve read would say that’s normal for your… affliction.”

I made a split second decision and dabbed. “Nothing in life matters!”

Silence. My arms started hurting so I put them down and leaned back.

“Or maybe that’s just nihilism. But yeah… There was more to the message I got from Gentiana than Noct heard. And… I don’t know, but I feel you’re the only one who won’t… overreact.”

“A fair assumption, but now you have me concerned.”

“Well… It went something like this…”

I did my best to repeat the message, but it ended up being more of a summary.

“I don’t know who the ‘Fallen Son’ is. I’ve never had a boyfriend before so me being indicated as his ‘beloved’ is weird.”

Ignis sat deep in thought. His eyes narrowed. Several moments dragged by. The fire died down. Then Iggy stood and started pacing again.

“I feel…” he muttered, “as if we have been given several clues as to your purpose here. But none of them make logical sense, which tends to worry me.

“The first clue is massive: your… _attachment_ to the chancellor begs for attention in any and every way I can imagine. Whenever I consider anything else, it forces its way back to the forefront of my mind.

“Next is your title as someone’s beloved, which… adds in to one of my theories, but it’s impossible. It simply cannot be…”

“Well what is it?”

He halted and spun to face me. “You’ve been reading the Cosmogony, yes?”

I nodded.

“Then you know of the Glacian’s fondness for mankind. And, should you be from a world that also houses humans-”

“-then she might really be the one who brought me here? But _why?_ Why _me_ I- I… I’m n-nothing- I’m nothing special. I never had these powers before, so she gave them to me, right? But _why?”_

“I wish I could tell you… But only the Oracle could give us the true answer.”

I sighed, defeated.

_Then we have to get there as quickly as possible. To Altissia, that is._

The tent rustled again.

“What the hell are you two doing out so late?” Noct’s voice growled sleepily.

“Speculating,” Ignis and I chorused. Noctis sighed.

“Well, hurry it up, alright? We got a lot to do tomorrow.”

The next morning, we all slept in. We’d be up late, so getting as much sleep as we could was necessary. Lunch passed by in silence. Then our reconnaissance commenced.

Ignis and I, being the most silent of our quintet, would sneak around the base to look for weak points and get a general picture of what we were up against. I might not be the best at improv, but should we be spotted, I’d have to do the talking. Ignis was known as Noct’s ally, so he was more easily recognizable.

Meanwhile, the remaining three would head to nearby towns and gather information from the people there. We mounted our chocobos with that plan in mind.

“Alright, Team Four-Eyes is a go!”

“Shut up, Gladio,” I called. Sleipnir and Minerva took off towards the base. When we got near the entrance, Ignis veered left and I went right.

Sleipnir kept to the shade of the treeline. I observed the tops of the base walls. No one could be seen roaming or patrolling. My phone, freshly charged, zoomed in further. Nothing. I spurred Sleip into action to move forward. She crept along the forest edge. Not even one mecha suit came walking through the small stretch of grass between us and the base.

_They must all be near the front. Do they really think no one will come and try to attack from the rear? Or is that what they want us to do…?_

There was no telling what the empire had in mind. If Ardyn really wanted Noctis to ascend, then why take the car? That had only served to hinder us so far. His actions didn’t make sense to me, or to anyone.

When I reached the back of the fortress, Ignis came riding along not long after. We fled into the forest and ran the long way around to camp.

“I hope you weren’t waiting long,” he said.

“I had just gotten there,” I told him, shaking my head. He nodded and proceeded to tell me of an area around the left we could take that led to the inside. “Is it me, or does this seem too easy?”

“Let’s not make assumptions just yet. The majority of their soldiers are inside. They will most likely give us a worse time there.”

Noctis and the other two returned a few hours later. We had a late dinner and waited a few hours more. Night fell. Midnight passed. We’d let them continue for a while. Once it reached a late hour, we headed out on foot. Noctis practically sprinted. I was near huffing point when we came to the base. We hid behind some mobile warehouse containers. The mission began.

“Our goal is the Regalia. The last thing we want is to engage an entire garrison. Avoid detection at all costs.”

“In and out before it gets light, then,” Gladio said. I raised an eyebrow.

“And how exactly do you expect to get a car out of there unnoticed?” I asked.

“By avoiding detection, duh,” Prompto teased. I rolled my eyes.

“We could disguise ourselves?”

“Nah, too much work,” Noct whispered.

“But a good backup should this fail,” Ignis confirmed.

“You’d have to do it, though,” Gladio told me. “Tell ‘em the _chancellor_ sent you.”

I simmered silently.

“Even if it means leaving the task unfinished,” Ignis instructed, “we should withdraw before we overstay our welcome.”

Slowly we came to the area by the road. A few armored soldiers patrolled in front. On Ignis’ count, Noctis warped and killed a few, clearing the way for the rest of us. I made a mental note to tell him how cool it was later. Then I noticed the two _giant_ tanks sitting there. I whimpered slightly. Why did I agree to this again?

_Give back!_

Right.

Noctis led us to the entrance. It had been left unguarded. A large spotlight roamed the open area, however. Ignis stopped Noct before he walked right into it. They crept to the space behind a tarped load. A rather convenient path helped us keep to the shadows. We all hid as some Magitek armor passed by our spots. Then we snuck behind the large boxes of supplies. Shivers plagued me every other step. I hadn’t realized how frightening this would be. Maybe the guys would let me opt out.

No. I had to keep going. What if something happened and they needed me?

Shaking fearfully, I followed closely behind Noctis. He warp-killed more soldiers. Soon the area was clear of creepy guards. We slinked into the floodlights. The Magitek armor searched back and forth. We got its pattern down and hurried to a gate made of red lasers.

“This is least safest thing I’ve ever done,” my shaky whisper broke the silence. “Please tell me we don’t have to do this again.”

My hands trembled and my eyes were wide. My jumpiness had raised significantly. A sound nearby startled me.

“Scared?” Gladio asked as Noct disabled the gate.

“Petrified,” I whispered back, nodding.

“Just stay close and you should be fine,” Ignis said. My heart hadn’t been able to stop fluttering. Messing with the military had never been a goal of mine.

Gladiolus spotted some sort of generator in the distance. It most likely powered the MTs. Destroying it would make our lives easier. But the Regalia came first. Noctis made a few more warp-kills. We continued sneaking around in the dark until-

“Oh thank God,” I sighed. The sight of a car had never given me such relief. An invisible weight was lifted off my chest.

“There’s the old girl,” Noct said. We all ran towards it.

“She’s a real sight for sore eyes,” Prompto praised.

“And none the worse for her time in imperial hands,” Ignis said. I smiled in happy satisfaction. Finally, after ages of waiting and spending more time in the wilderness than I’d like, the Regalia had been found. No more long journeys on foot. I’d miss Sleipnir, but my legs had grown saddle sore. I couldn’t wait to relax in an actual car again.

And then that satisfaction was instantly destroyed by a giant mecha suit attack.

“Change of plans,” Ignis said. “Our new objective is to clear a path for the Regalia.”

“You seriously didn’t have a plan for that before?!” I exclaimed as I summoned my sword.

“More fighting, less bitching,” Gladio called, heading for the Magitek armor.

“Don’t make me come over there, Gladiolus Amicitia!”

As the guys took a more melee approach to taking it down, I used my lightning magic to strike down anything getting close to them. Running back and forth between sides of the base proved exhausting, but I really didn’t feel like getting hit with bullets.

Then I got an idea. Maybe I could freeze the MTs? I looked up at the watchtowers. Several soldiers stood unharmed. Noctis was too busy with the giant machine blocking our way.

“Don’t get blown up!” I shouted, sprinting for the tower. “If you get killed, I’ll kill you again!”

A chorus of “can do” and “no promises” met my ears. I ascended the steps. The first MT turned to attack. I raised my hand. A blast of frost and snow immediately iced him over. With a golf-like swing my dad would’ve been proud of, the soldier shattered into little icy pieces.

_It’s just a robot. It’s not a person. It’s just a robot. It’s not a person._

The thought that I was killing actual people started weighing on my conscience. But they were just robots. That’s what Ignis had said. ...Right?

My legs and lungs were screaming in pain as I kept going. Another soldier ended up as Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes. And then the one at the top got a chest full of sword. I shoved him over the railing. I received a thumbs-up from Noctis that I could barely see. The next minute I used as a breather. Then I made my way back down.

As I reached the nearly dead mecha suit, Ignis told Noctis to destroy the generator we had seen earlier. There was a chance it could weaken the MTs.

“No more stealth?” the prince questioned.

“Our cover’s been blown,” Iggy said. “Go to town.”

“______, come on.”

Noctis and I made our way to the generator. A few soldiers blocked our way. We took them out fairly easily. I froze them solid, Noct warped and shattered them like mirrors.

Right as we reached the generator, another Magitek armor suit came out. More soldiers appeared. We groaned.

“This thing is serious business,” Noct said. I nodded, trembling slightly now that it was just the two of us. “You focus on destroying that thing. Electrocute it or something. I’ll take these guys out.”

“Right.”

I ran around the few traffic barrel things as Noctis went straight for the enemy. My sword struck down an MT before assessing the generator.

_There's a chance it’ll absorb any electricity I throw at it._

A bullet narrowly missed my head. I jumped and moved toward the power source.

_When in doubt, set it on fire! This one’s for you, Pippi._

A large blast of heat lit the space around me. The generator was set ablaze. And then the fire died out.

“Oh _come_ on!” I shouted in frustration. “Fine, then. Let’s cool down a bit.”

The force of a snowstorm filled the air with coldness. The generator froze over. I smiled triumphantly. The fight continued on around me. I began hacking away at the ice. Hopefully I was doing _some_ damage.

“Could go for an Ebony right about now,” I heard Ignis quip.

“Save the coffee for later,” Noctis growled. I wobbled back as the hits I landed backfired, sending tremors through my weapon.

“Something to look forward to.”

Small sparkles began to lift from the ground. The air around us lit up, a magenta haze coming with it. Then the sky went dark and a massive hand reached out-

-and snatched Noctis from the ground.

I followed the hand. A giant, wizened old man hovered the landscape. He pulled Noct to him, lifting his staff. I recognized him from the pictures in the Cosmogony. That was Ramuh.

With power equal to his title of god, the base was struck with the largest lightning bolt anyone had ever seen. It didn’t hurt me or the other three. The MTs and mecha armor perished amongst the wrath of the gods. The light from Ramuh’s judgment caused me to shield my eyes. When I looked up, Noctis was back on the ground.

The remaining electric energy crawled along the ground… and into my body. My hair frazzled and stuck up straight before going back to its usual state. I shivered uncontrollably before the energy faded.

“Thanks, Thor wannabe,” I muttered. “Seriously. I mean it.”

“That. Was. Hardcore!” Prompto exclaimed.

“And it did the trick,” Ignis agreed. “The place is dead.”

“Rest in pieces,” Gladio said. “C’mon. Let’s grab the Regalia and split.”

We ran back to the car.

“This is the weirdest day we’ve had and that’s saying something,” I mumbled when we finally reached it.

“I’ll say,” Gladio said. I was nearest the Regalia. Ignis was behind me. Prompto lagged behind. Right as I reached for the door handle, he pointed out something behind us.

A man with white hair and dressed in the same color slowly approached us. His left arm had been replaced with dark metal. He carried an intricate sword in his other hand.

_Who is that…?_

His presence had me on alert. He was dangerous. I could feel it. I quivered next to Ignis.

“Long has it been, Noctis,” the man drawled.

_Wait, isn’t that the voice from the radio the other day? What was that guy’s name?_

“Ravus,” Noctis voiced.

_Right. The high commander._

“You receive the Storm’s blessing,” Ravus said, pace quickening. Ignis and Prompto shoved me between them. Ravus raised his sword to Noct’s face. I inhaled a sharp breath. “And yet you know nothing of the consequences.”

“Watch it,” Gladio warned, coming forward to protect Noctis. The point of Ravus’ sword transferred to him. Ignis stepped forward. I did the same but backward.

_Coward._

_Can you really blame me?! This guy is terrifying!_

“Be still,” Ravus said flatly. His gaze met mine. “All of you.”

His eyes narrowed at the sight of a random girl amongst the entourage of the King of the Lucis.

“Not good…” Prompto trailed.

“Heir to a crown befitting no other,” Ravus continued, coiling the fingers of his metal arm.

_Bucky Barnes???_

_Not. Now._

“Witness his splendor and glory. All hail the chosen king.”

Ravus clearly resented Noctis for something. His mocking words irked both me and Gladio. Well, we were the most obvious. I didn’t care who this guy was or how scary he looked. I wasn’t going to let him just attack Noctis like that, not after all he and his friends had done for me. My own hands clenched into fists. My eyebrows furrowed angrily. I sent Ravus my best death glare. My body still trembled.

“Awful high and mighty for an imperial rat,” Noctis retaliated, “serving the enemy to hunt down Luna.”

His words provoked Ravus further. His eyes held back a fury like none I had seen yet. His metal prosthetic grasped Noct by the throat.

“I do not _serve,”_ he said, shoving my friend back. “I command!”

I gasped. Gladio rushed ahead to shield the others. He faced Ravus bravely.

“The king’s sworn shield.”

“You better believe it,” Gladio growled confidently. Ignis pushed me to side, out of harm’s way. At the time, it seemed wise.

“A weak shield protects naught.”

Ravus circled his sword around. He swiftly brought it down. This time I stepped forward as Gladio summoned his greatsword and struggled under the commander’s strength.

_What the hell? Gladio’s the strongest guy I know!_

We all tensed, the air tight and suffocating. Then Prompto rushed to get out of the way as Ravus thrust Gladiolus back with one push. The car shook under his force. Breath left me. I paused, devastated.

_Do something!_

_Give back!_

_Protect them!_

_You can’t do anything else!_

_...Or are you too useless and weak to care? To do anything?_

“NO!” I shrieked, at both myself, and Ravus. Without any other thought I propelled myself in front if Noctis, summoning my own meager weapon.

“______, what the hell are you doing?” Noctis angrily snarled. I ignored him.

“If you wanna get to Noctis, you’ll have to go through me, too.” I took the most protective stance Gladio had taught me. Coincidentally, I had learned it earlier that day- er, yesterday. Ravus stared at me, saying nothing. “I don’t know who the hell you are or what problems you have with him, but he’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. And I’m an innocent person. You really want to kill an innocent person just to make a point?”

My actions had apparently shocked everyone. Noct could hardly do anything without angering Ravus and if the others lifted a hand, they could fail as easily as Gladio. But I was unknown to the enemy. At the moment, I was the only effective thing in his way.

“...Should the Chosen fall, that, too, is fate,” Ravus spoke slowly. I tightened my grip on my sword, ready to fight if I must. My hands felt cold. They were freezing. I drew myself up. Ice slowly crept up the hilt. “Or would he put the soul of a child before him…?”

_Child?!_

I growled and prepared to launch myself at him.

“Wait, _____,” Noct said. “Don’t-!”

The sound of something shattering greeted my right ear.

“I’d say that’s far enough,” a low, familiar voice warned. My heart lifted, singing inside me. My eyes lit up and I turned to see Ardyn walking towards us. He had a hat this time. But… he looked _pissed._

“Ardyn!” I breathed happily. My sword disappeared into little sparks. He sent me a small smile before addressing Noctis.

“A hand, Highness?” he asked, the warning still in his voice.

_Ohhh he’s mad that Noct didn’t stop me._ Couldn’t _stop me, I should say._

“Not from you,” Noct growled.

“Oh, but I’m here to help,” Ardyn offered.

“And how is that?” Ignis asked warily. Ravus rotated to face away from us all.

“By taking the army away.”

“You expect us to just believe that?” Gladio asked.

“When next we meet, it’ll be across the seas. Just so happens we have business of our own with the tutelary deity. Don’t we?”

Ardyn stepped closer to Noct, lifting an arm and waving it slightly. Ravus reluctantly and irritatedly followed his order, leaving the scene.

“Fare thee well, Your Majesty. And safe travels.”

Before he left, the chancellor turned to me.

“Oh, and dearest?”

Heat crept up my neck to my cheeks. 

“Uh, y-yeah?” I answered, voice higher in pitch. His eyes bore into mine, an unspoken warning in them.

“Should I hear you’ve pulled another stunt like this, I might just have to have a… _chat_ with you and your _friends._ Do I make myself clear?”

I gulped, nodding. He dipped his head in understanding. We all watched as he stalked away.

The guys immediately surrounded me. They were also pissed. I could feel the tension radiating from them. It caused me to cower inwardly. I pulled my jacket further around me.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Noctis roared, doing his best to hold back his volume. It didn’t work too well. “Do you _want_ to die?”

“I-I was just-”

“Are you insane?” Gladio added, not helping in the volume department. “Not even _I_ could take him and you just put yourself between us!”

My throat felt dry. Tears welled up.

“I just wanted-”

“Of all the things you could’ve done,” Ignis began, crossing his arms, _“this_ was the _worst._ I agree with Noctis when I say, were you _trying_ to get yourself killed?”

A tear fell. “Please, I just-”

“Please don’t do that again!” Prompto’s plea caused the already formed lump to block my airway.

“I just- I- I just- wanted- to help!” I choked. “He knew the rest of you. He didn’t- he didn’t- he did- I’m unfamil- unfamili- I…”

I gasped, trying desperately to fill my lungs with air.

“You could’ve gotten yourself seriously hurt!” Ignis furthered. “Do you have any idea how serious this is? How dangerous that man is?”

I collapsed under their worried and furious glares. I brought my hands up to cover my face as the tears were released.

“I- I-” I inhaled deeply. _“I’m sorry!”_

The sight of my distress seemed to dispel their anger. The tension left their bodies, but none of them came forth to comfort me. I wept as silently as I could. No one said anything. They just watched as I broke down _again._ This time because of them.

“I…” Noct finally said. “I didn’t mean to be so loud, I just…”

He sighed, not knowing what to say. I fought down hyperventilation, not wanting to have another panic attack. That would make the third within two weeks.

“We were just…” Even Ignis was at a loss for words. “You had us worried sick and completely in shock.”

“Yeah,” Prompto broke in. “Usually it’s us protecting _you._ We just didn’t want you to get hurt.”

A sob was all I could manage to respond. They stood awkwardly, not knowing how to deal with this. I shook uncontrollably, trying to shove these feelings down. But nothing could calm me.

At last, someone pulled me into a strong embrace. Then someone joined them. Then another, and another.

“I’m sorry…” I whispered. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, we know,” Gladio muttered. “We get it. You saw something bad happening, and you had to take action. But you’re like our sister, y’know? We can’t just let you do something like that.”

My cries only worsened. I shivered and cowered against them. Their declaration just served to make me feel worse. But… what would have happened if I hadn’t stepped in? Would Ravus have hurt Noctis before Ardyn got there? There was no way of knowing.

But I had stopped him. I wouldn’t feel bad for that. I had managed to throw him off, even if it was only for a second. I had given back. It wasn’t much, to me, at least, but it was a start. I had _helped._

But at the cost of their trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay that’s the last break down for a while, I swear. And I swear I don’t usually write those. This story is just an exception, I guess. Personally, when my medicine wears off, I get super anxious for a day and then really emotional for a while. So that’s happening to Reader now.  
> Iiiii may or may not have cried a little writing the ending scene. Heheh...  
> Anyway, yeah, Ardyn’s scene is short, but fear not! He’ll get a nice lil emotional scene at Steyliff Grove so that’ll be fun. I hooe. Anyway, stay tuned for bonding with Iggy and Noct. I’m trying to build Reader’s relationships with the boys so we can focus on Ardyn later~


	19. Propter meae audaciae, retro retineor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the encounter with Ravus leaves Reader in a hard place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “Because of my recklessness, I am held back”  
> Alternate: Therapist Ignis
> 
> I swear if I didn’t love Ardyn so much, this could have easily turned into an Ignis/Reader fic

The first half hour in the Regalia was spent mostly in silence. My tears kept falling, physical emotions on my face. I knew I was in the wrong, and I kept apologizing for acting so recklessly. But I wouldn’t apologize for helping.

Ignis told me and Prompto that Ravus was Lady Lunafreya’s brother. That would explain why he was so pissed at Noctis. And I had just put myself in the middle of their dispute. Whoops. But I hoped he could understand I wanted to protect my own brothers as much as he did with his sister.

An hour in, the tears had dried. I had managed to avoid a panic attack. That made me feel a bit better. However, sitting between Gladio and Noctis, the most protective of the bunch, didn’t help to sooth my already extremely low self esteem.

_Look at you. Can hardly even help yourself and you think you can help them?_

_They probably hate you. If they didn’t before, they certainly do now._

_Weak._

_Helpless._

_Pathetic._

_Please just stop,_ I whined at my thoughts. _You’re not helping._

_Who cares if we’re not helping? Maybe you should’ve done the same._

My head hung, chin meeting my chest. My hair fell around me like a curtain. Gladio was reading and Noctis was admiring the landscape. I kept my head down, too scared to speak.

_They’re not going to let you do anything now._

_I know. Shut up._

“So, uh,” Prompto cut the silence with a sharp blade, “where we going?”

“Thommels Glade,” Ignis answered. “_______ let me borrow her history book, and several royal arms locations are recorded in it.”

That got everyone’s attentions. I vaguely remembered reading about a few of them. There was one near some old Solheim ruins called Costlemark Tower. Maybe we’d get to go there.

“Thommels Glade it is,” Noct said. “Anywhere else?”

“The glade is near the Rock of Ravatogh,” Ignis explained. “So we might as well have a look while Lady Iris secures the hidden port in Caem.”

That settled everyone’s curiosity. Ravatogh was a volcano, if I remembered correctly, or some sort of mountain. It’s where Ifrit the Infernian was defeated during the War of the Astrals. I looked forward to seeing real lava in person.

We stopped for lunch along the way. The Crow’s Nest gave me memories from the beginning of my journey. I wished to God that I wouldn’t break down in this one. Gladio and Noctis sat in one side of the a booth, Prompto and I took the other. Ignis dragged a chair over to sit at the end.

They chattered about nothing while we waited to be served and then while we waited for the food. I ordered quietly and didn’t say anything again. It was normal for me to not say much, but I hardly paid attention now. Instead I focused on shoving my emotions down. When the food arrived, I ate slowly.

“You okay?” Prompto prodded me with his elbow. I looked up to see the other three gazing at me. “You haven’t said… anything.”

I nodded, eyes downcast. I felt empty. I probably _looked_ empty. All motivation had disappeared. I just wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep.

“We, uh,” Noctis started, “we didn’t mean… we didn’t mean to be so harsh on you.”

I shook my head. “Don’t. It’s not your fault. I’ll be fine.”

The four guys exchanged glances with each other.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Ignis asked. I nodded again. No eye contact. I refused to look at any of them. When I didn’t say anything, he whispered to Noctis, “She’s starting to withdraw. We need to act fast.”

“So, uh, is there anything you wanted to do?” the prince asked awkwardly. This time I gave him a confused glance. “Like, we’ve only been going places the four of us want to go. Is there something you wanted to see?”

I thought for a moment. Was there anything I wanted to do? Not really. I didn’t really feel up to doing anything. I didn’t want to move. I could hardly eat.

“Not that I can think of,” I told him dully.

“Well, ah, just tell us if you do, okay?”

I nodded.

The Thommels Glade royal tomb was fairly easy to find. We happened upon it in the middle of our search. It stood cleanly in the wild, white stone partially blinding me for a second. I trailed behind the other four, entering last. I took my usual spot to Noctis’ left, Ignis behind and between us.

Noctis reached out to the shield lying on the marble coffin. It turned a transparent blue and swooshed into its new bearer. The rest of the glaives came out and circled Noct. My vision went white and another memory made itself known.

_The black haired man in white argued with his brother. They both looked furious and began to fight. Sword on sword, they fought until finally the younger pushed him back._

_Tears were streaming down the eldest’s face, the betrayal in his eyes hurting my own heart. He spoke quietly but I couldn’t hear what he said. I could only watch as he forced himself into hiding. His brother called for someone to chase after him. As he ran through the woods, the image faded._

“_______?” Ignis’ voice snagged my attention.

“I’m okay,” I said weakly. “Just zoned out for a second.”

He didn’t look convinced, but sighed and said nothing of it. We followed the others back to the car. I started to feel a bit irritated. I had been in the company of four people for weeks. There had been hardly any alone time in those weeks and it took a toll on me. I squished my arms into my sides, not wanting to touch anyone.

There was a caravan at a stop along the way to Ravatogh. Noctis decided to park the car there and go the rest of the way by chocobo and/or foot. He paid for a night with the idea of crashing there later in mind.

“So, uh, we’re heading up the mountain,” Noct said to me as I sat at one of the tables out front. “And- Well…”

“You want me to stay here?” I finished with a sigh. “Okay. I don’t mind. I don’t like the heat anyway.”

“You sure we should be leaving her here alone?” Gladio asked Noctis. The latter shrugged.

“I don’t see any better option,” he said.

“What if she hurts herself? Or does something crazy?”

“I’m protective, not suicidal,” I protested.

“Still, with your mental state the way it is, you shouldn’t be alone. We don’t know how long we’ll be.”

I slumped in my seat.

“Um, maybe she’ll be okay,” Prompto suggested. “I mean, she’s been fine before.”

“Yes, but Gladio has a good point,” Ignis said. “Her mental health isn’t what it used to be. ...Why don’t I stay with her? I trust you three will be fine on your own?”

“You sure?” Noctis asked, skeptical. “I thought you’d want to come.”

“I do, if only to make sure you come out in one piece. But I can’t ignore this any longer. She needs _help,_ Noct.”

“I mean it, I’ll be fine!” I said. “I’ve done it before, I can do it again. Please don’t let me hold you back… It’ll just make it worse.”

I don’t usually use the guilt trip card like that, but my anxiety took over for a moment. It made me feel guilty just for using it.

“And that’s exactly why I need to stay,” Ignis said.

“You’re not holding us back,” Noct said. “We’ve been moving forward pretty good for a while now.”

“Yeah,” Gladio agreed, “if anything, we’ve been moving too fast for _you.”_

“You’re really good at adapting,” Prom said positively. I nodded. Then I slouched more in defeat. There was no winning with these guys. Not in something like this.

“Just be careful,” Ignis told them as they set out. “If you can’t make it back before nightfall, find somewhere to take shelter.”

“Got it,” Gladio said. “We’ll be just fine.”

Noctis was the last to mount his chocobo, giving me and Ignis one last glance. We watched as they rode away toward the mountain in the distance. I sighed for the millionth time, feeling awkward now that it was just me and Ignis. After a moment had passed, he sat down in the chair opposite me.

“I just… wanted to help,” I explained, bringing up my hands and then helplessly flopping them back down. “I’m sorry…”

“I know you are,” Iggy said gently, “but this hasn’t happened before, and it’s worrying us all.”

“I don’t mean to add to your list of troubles.”

“And we appreciate that, we do, but I’m wondering if perhaps you’d like to talk about it instead of… well…”

He tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t make me feel worse. I decided to take up his offer on talking because not doing so would only cause further tension. Reluctant words came forth.

“It’s just,” I said, “when I first came here, I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t fight, I couldn’t help with… anything, really. And… you guys are… so _nice_ and _friendly_ and _patient._ You’re some of- no, you’re probably the _kindest_ people I’ve ever met. I’m not usually the fast friends type of person, but you all made me feel welcome and- and as stable as I could be. There’s only so much I can do, and I’m so- grateful- and- and…”

I paused to breathe, shoving the welling emotions down as best I could.

“And when he - Ravus - just totaled- almost totaled the Regalia with Gladio, I panicked. I hardly even remember moving. I just thought I had to do something, that I had to give back somehow, and then my bad thoughts just flew by and I snapped and… shouting ‘no’ at him was- it wasn’t just directed at him, y’know? Gladio said you guys think of me as a sister. But it’s a two way street. I alway tend to think of my friends as family. And I love my family. And no one’s ever messed with my friends like that before, so… Yeah…”

Ignis kept quiet for a moment. My eyes were glued to the table edge. A warm breeze blew through the sandy air. I wondered how the other were doing. An hour or two would bring the darkness. They’d probably have to stay the night on the mountain.

“You…” Ignis pushed his glasses up. “You remind me of myself, in a way.”

I allowed my eyes to glance over to me. His own were gazing wistfully at the table.

“I swore an oath to protect Noct, and I shan’t break it. He means too much to me, to all of us. We’ve been friends since we were small.”

I tried to think of a younger Ignis and failed.

“So I understand how you feel. Especially in your situation, and I’d imagine how lost and alone you first felt. How you might still feel. I suppose none of us took into consideration a deeper approach to those around you. It’s not just the weight and false guilt of believing yourself a burden on us, after everything that’s happened, and I’ll reiterate that you’re _not._ It’s also a strong sense of loyalty and gratitude for not only assisting you in your time of need, but for being your friend, as well.”

I nodded fiercely. He was incredibly perceptive and that saved me a lot of time and explanations.

“It hurts me that…” I swallowed. “That… you lost your home around the same time I did. And I feel the least I can do is help you reclaim it, even if I can’t get home - to my own home, I mean. It’s… weird. I tend to feel things either very deeply or not at all.”

“I see. And we couldn’t be more thankful to have you with us, _______. But throwing yourself in front of Ravus was not the most adequate way of demonstrating it.”

“Yeah, I know. And I’m sorry, I really am. But as soon as I found myself in that place, I realized he didn’t know me. He knows the rest of you. There was a chance I managed to stall him before something awful happened. Would Ardyn’ve got there in time?”

“A fair point, but Ravus isn’t exactly known for his mercy. Please, next time, let us handle it, alright?”

“Yeah. Okay. And… Thank you. I don’t think you realize how much it means to me.”

He smiled. “It’s never a problem.”

The rest of the evening was spent quietly making a small dinner and having little talks in between bouts of comfortable silence. The feeling of renewment that came with hanging out with another introvert refreshed me in a way I hadn’t realized I needed. There wasn’t any obligation to speak or the straining and distressed feeling my chest got when trying to keep up with four guys. My heart wasn’t tight with general nervousness for once. My hands weren’t shaking and my body felt loose. I was… relaxed.

I fell asleep easily that night, with no spare tension to keep me awake.

When the guys returned the next day, I was feeling a lot better. Ignis’ motherly nature had been soothing. We spent most of the night talking. Nothing specific, but it was nice. I feared I had destroyed my relationship with him and the others with my reckless actions. For once, I was wrong.

They got back before I woke up. Ignis disclosed the previous day’s discussion (with my permission, of course). It opened their eyes a little. Prompto woke me up and smothered me with a hug.

“What…” I groaned. I had actually slept really well, having been in an actual bed this time. Two arms were tightly wrapped around me and I had no idea who it was.

“I’m just so happy you feel the way we do,” Prompto’s voice cracking in my ear caused me to flinch. “I think we were all worried you felt like you owed us and nothing more.”

“What? Of course not! You think I’d do something like that just because of a debt? You’re my friends and I’m not about to let you die.”

“That’s good to hear,” Noctis said behind Prom. “Ignis said you’re doing better.”

I nodded once my body was free, and smiled.

“Talking always helps,” I said bashfully, averting my eyes. A slight heat burned my cheeks. “Oh! And I thought of someplace to go if that’s still an option.”

“Sure. Where?”

Costlemark Tower took a while to get to. It was on the other end of the map, so I began to feel guilty again for holding them up. The ride was nice, though. Bright green trees and fields that shined in the morning light. Random wildlife I still wasn’t used to seeing popped up every now and then. My heart sank with disappointment at not being to go “cows!” and have everyone stare out the window for a second as we passed them by. There were some weird horse things: big, gray and white, with horns that spiraled out from their heads. It was like a unicorn, horse, and giraffe in one. They crossed the road in front of us.

We stopped for lunch about a third of the way there. After that I spent the next hour of the trip researching Costlemark and learning more about Solheim. The tower itself was very intricate. Layers upon layers of unseen architecture lied beneath the earth, waiting to be explored. Not many had gotten far inside due the place being overrun with daemons. I kept my fingers crossed that we’d get to see more of it.

Around mid afternoon, we happened upon a royal tomb not too far away. Happy we’d managed to find another, we hurried inside.

Noctis unlocked the crypt and we all filed in. Light from the outside flooded the white marble room. The usual sculpture of a lady near the back remained. But there was one problem.

“Where is it?” Noct said, eyes searching around frantically.

The royal arm was missing. Shards of black stone had been scattered over the ground, like someone had broken in. On the coffin, behind the head of the carved king, was note.

“‘Greatsword remains unaccounted for,’” I read aloud, “‘likely taken to Costlemark by daemons. Investigation continues. Hunter HQ.’ Huh. Good thing we were going there anyway.”

“A stroke of luck,” Ignis said. Gladio patted me on the back.

“Good thing we’ve got this one with us,” he said.

“Let’s go,” Noctis said. We piled into the Regalia and drove off to Costlemark.

The tower could be seen in the distance from where we parked. It loomed over the small grove of trees surrounding it, casting an ancient shadow. I got _Lord of the Rings_ vibes from all the old ruins around Lucis. It was like some sort of AU where Aragorn and Frodo had merged to create Noctis in a modern world. I shook that thought away.

All our stalling from lunch and the detour to the Fallgrove tomb had night coming sooner than expected. It was only a few hours till dusk. Wanting to find the greatsword and then shelter took first priority. As we traipsed through the forest and grass, we passed a campsite.

“Should we set up before looking?” Gladio asked. We stopped right beside it. As they debated, I gathered more ice element power. The surge of magic flowing through my veins gave me a chilly rush. A pleasant but cold shiver ran up my spine. I shuddered happily.

“It would be good to come back to,” Ignis said. I glanced back over at them. “We could get the tent up while you three scout out the tower.”

I eagerly led Prompto and Noctis to the left of the Oracle Runes. Carved stones lied here and there, the writing similar to… oh what was it called?

_Not the Assyrians, but… Or was it the Assyrians? Shit, I can’t remember. Not hieroglyphics, that’s Egyptian. This one was from the Middle East…_

“Oh gross!” Prompto yelped. I tore my gaze from the old rock and turned to see giant centipedes blocking the entrance to the tower area. Bad shivers sprinted across my body and I stepped back.

“Uh, can we go around?” I asked, still shaking.

_Ew ew ew please god no not today_

“Let’s just get this over with,” Noctis sighed. “Or Gladio won’t let us hear the end of it.”

I hated every minute of fighting overgrown bugs with way too many legs. I was on the receiving end of many of their attacks. Disgust had overpowered me and I flinched back every time one came near me. The squelching of each blow made me cringe. Soon they were dead. I stalked around the wall they guarded to get away.

“Nope nope nope nope nope,” I repeated as I stomped toward the ruins. “Nope nope nope.”

That was worse than the naga woman.

A burst of excitement shot through me. We neared the tower. Adrenaline rushed through me and I took off. Stairs led up to the platformed foundation. I sprinted up them, ecstatic to be seeing ancient ruins in person. Worries forgotten for a moment, I vibrated in place silently when I reached the entrance.

“It’s beautiful!” I gushed, eyes shining. The tower was massive, stretching up to the sky. A few rooms surrounded the main shaft. We decided to search those first. “It looks like the Colosseum in Italy! Look at those columns! They’re stacked just the same!”

“You… really like history,” Prompto observed. I nodded enthusiastically.

“Look at those carvings!” I bounded over to a thin strip carved into the wall. “It looks like circuits. Oh! And those columns! I’ve never seen anything like it before! How are they still standing?”

Noctis and Prompto followed me leisurely as I bounced from one area to the next. All the rooms were empty and most lacked ceilings. I examined the odd brickwork and the etchings in the stone. Then I swiftly made my way back to the actual tower. A small bridge led to a wall. More columns lined the sides. The bridge itself suspended us over… nothing.

“It just keeps going down, down, down,” Prompto echoed.

“But how far does it go?” I asked no one in particular.

“Where’s the entrance?” Noctis asked. “It just leads to a blank wall.”

“It opens at night. One of your kings led an expedition to reclaim it. Unfortunately a daemon killed him.”

“Why do you know more about our history than we do?” Prompto asked.

“Because I read, that’s why.”

I gasped suddenly.

“What?” “Where?” my friends panicked.

_“Look at those pediments!”_

Ignis and Gladio found Noct and Prom sitting against the bridge railing half an hour later. I had managed to find a space to slip through to get closer to the Colosseum-like arches. The sun settled low in the sky. Since there was no way to get inside, we had nothing to do.

“These columns looks nothing like the ones we have back home,” I spouted as Ignis led me away from the edge of the tall foundation. “No ionic or doric or Corinthian. It’s so… square. Look how they carved it. It goes in and out and in and out…”

“We get it,” Gladio teased. “You like ancient history and architecture.”

“It’s a whole other level of Classicism! Those arches are semi circle arches and they look so pretty! The stacked ones help support the weight. Though, there really isn’t anything to support so I guess it’s just for show. But still!”

Ignis smiled, amused.

“And the frieze! Is it a frieze? I don’t know, but the top level that the columns support: it looks so simple but intricate. Ooh, is that dental molding?”

They couldn’t stop me. No one could.

_“How_ do you know all this?” Noctis asked finally, throwing his arms out in exasperation.

“I took an architecture class the semester before I came here. Good thing, too. This is _fantastic!”_

In the end, they had to pry me away from the tower to eat dinner. I pouted for a bit throughout the evening. Then we got to go back.

“Oh wow,” I breathed, mouth open in awe at the lit stone. The same writing on the stones was written on the columns. It glowed orange, lighting a path to down the bridge to a large opening in the wall. Darkness gaped at us now, intimidating and causing the air to run cold.

“Maaaaybe we should do this again tomorrow,” Prompto suggested. “I mean, we just climbed Ravatogh. And I don’t want to be here when those bugs come back.”

“There’s no telling how far it goes,” Ignis added.

“Then we’ll take a look around,” Noctis decided. “If we can’t find anything, we’ll just… come back and try again tomorrow.”

“Gives us time to prepare for a longer expedition.”

We headed into the tower. A long hall lined with columns greeted us. The space spread out to to the sides. A slope led down into the structure, stretching endlessly. None of us could see where it went.

“Ha!” Prompto shouted. “Knew there’d be a way in.”

“No red carpet,” Gladio said, “but a stone staircase is the next best thing.”

“What’s keeping the lights lit?” I asked. The steps were embedded with small blue lights in the middle. It gave our descent a pleasant yet mysterious atmosphere.

“No idea,” Noct answered.

One of the steps held a circular metal port of some kind. We crossed over it and it began to glow red. I gave it a wary glance but kept going. At the end of the staircase was another arch with beautiful, flowing decorations over it.

“Ooh, that’s more like a Roman arch,” I gasped, “I think. And look how beautiful the image carving is!”

“_______,” Noctis warned, “if I hear one more comment about stone carvings…”

“You’ll what?”

“I’ll lock you in here, king’s orders.”

The floor leveled out into a short hallway. I noticed the dark stone stripe running through the walls. The doorway at the end caught my attention.

“Look at the squares,” I commented. “It’s so weird. The Greeks used the Golden Rectang-”

“________, I swear to-!”

A loud growl in the next room interrupted Noctis’ outburst. We crept in to see more Grimer impersonators. They were even purple. These ones were lil gelatins that got no love from anyone. They perished within minutes.

More monsters attacked in the next open space we found. The ancient hallways held nothing but barrel vaults and more building techniques no one recognized. As we came to a spiral slope leading further down, larger monsters nearly decimated us.

“Noct?” Ignis asked. I pressed a finger to Prompto and began coughing. He was healed, but the pain made its way into my body. My throat hurt like hell. It felt like someone had scratched it from the inside. Small specks sputtered onto my hand.

“Yeah?”

_Is that…? No, it can’t be. It can’t be. It just can’t. I should be fine._

I ignored the warning sign.

“We’re running low again on curatives,” Ignis said. “It would be wise to stock up before continuing.”

“Right. Let’s head back up, then.”

We made our back to the entrance. I tried soothing my throat my rubbing it gently. I swallowed as smoothly as I could to get some liquid to the area. Breathing hurt just a tad.

Right as we came upon the second half of the ascending staircase, Gladio’s large frame stepped onto the metal port we had activated earlier. Noct turned back when I started coughing again. He stopped, sensing something was wrong. We each placed one foot each onto the pad.

And instantly warped back to the circular room at the bottom. Ignis, Gladio, and Prompto vanished before our eyes. When it registered in our minds, we panicked and dashed back up the staircase.

Racing onto the leveled platform, we hurled toward the doorway. Not realized what had happened, Noctis and I ran straight into the wall separating us from the outside.

“Ignis?!” Noctis shouted. “Prompto? Gladio!”

Muffled sounds came from the other side. Neither of us could make out what they were saying. Noct pounded his fist against the wall, grunting in pain and desperation. I stopped after a few seconds. This was going to get us nowhere.

“What happened?” Noctis blurted. “What do we do?”

“Nothing, I guess,” I said bluntly. “That metal tile thing must’ve trapped us in here. There’s no telling how to get out.”

He started panting, his body shaking furiously. His hand trembled. I slid down the wall, sitting on the floor and sighed.

“They can’t just,” Noct paused. “They can’t just lock us in here.”

I rested my hands in my lap. “We’ll just have to wait. I’m sure there’s a way out.”

Noct collapsed next to me, head in his hands. I placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Noct. There’s always a way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: Part of a double update! Please continue on!
> 
> Also that I’m currently taking that architecture class and it is _fascinating_


	20. Rēx et medice sunt frater et soror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis and Reader make their way through Costlemark Tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “The king and the healer are brother and sister”
> 
> NOTE: Double update! If you missed the previous chapter, go back and read it!
> 
> Yep! This chapter is 100% Noctis and Reader. Their bond will be strongest of the four, I believe. So have fun!

“Y’know, when I said I’d lock you in here, I didn’t really mean it.”

“A bit late for that, _Your Majesty.”_

“Hey!”

Time had has passed. How much? We didn’t know. Noctis and I were still stuck inside Costlemark Tower. Our phones weren’t getting any signal. There was no way to contact anyone outside. So now we were just sitting and waiting.

I rested my chin in my hand. “I didn’t know this place was basically an Egyptian tomb.”

“A what?”

“The pyramids in Egypt? They’re supposedly chock full of traps and curses to keep grave robbers out.”

“Oh. Yeah, not a bad comparison.”

_I keep forgetting their knowledge is not the same as my knowledge._

“What are we supposed to do?” Noct asked the air. “This place only opens at night. We’ll have wait almost a full twenty-four hours.”

“We could explore?” I suggested, voice rising awkwardly in pitch.

“In a cave full of daemons?”

“You got anything better?”

“Staying here and waiting for the guys to figure something out?”

“Yeah, but what if we find a way to open it ourselves? Maybe there’s a mechanism or something to disable the trap. I mean, _someone_ had to come down here, right?”

“You know you can just say you want to see the rest of the ruins, right?”

I crossed my arms and turned away, huffing.

“Alright, fine. Let’s go. We’ve got nothing better to do.”

We made our way back down the staircase. The metal warp pad no longer glowed red. Or at all. Not even when we stepped on it. So we continued down until we reached the first spiral slope. It was a slow walk down and at the bottom were more daemons.

A giant purple ball of electric energy with a face caused the most damage. It’d explode after laughing at us and Noct had to take it down first. A few potions had us ready to go again and we took down the squishy gelatin things. I shook their sludge off me, shuddering.

“Ick,” I spat. “Hey Noct, want some more ectoplasm?”

“Absolutely not.”

We shared some fire magic and turned to a caved in opening behind us. Something had dug into the ground, providing us room to keep going. Noct crawled under first, and I went second. He was already fighting off gremlins with wings. I narrowly dodged their clawed swipes. Panting now, we came to a fork in the hall.

“So, left or right?” I asked. To the right was an empty room, most likely home to more monsters. Left was more hallway.

“This way.” Noctis turned left. Blue-glowing scones dimly illuminated the corridor. As we walked, I continued to admire the architecture and how much care and detail that went into it. “Come on, hurry up.”

“Sorry!”

A stairwell rested in the next room. Rubble filled most of the space. Dust tickled my nose. Our movements caused it to stir and float up and around. Noct sneezed. We carefully stepped over the broken chips of wall and ceiling, fought more daemons, and took a quick breather on the stairs.

“You think the arm’s really down here?” I asked as we sat.

“I dunno,” Noct answered, shrugging. “I hope so, or else this would’ve mostly been a waste of time.”

I stretched my legs out. “Ignis’ll probably be peeved we didn’t stay put.”

“Ha, yeah. Guess we gotta be extra careful. There’s only two of us.”

A moment of silence settled. The only sound was the occasional fall of a rock somewhere. The smell of dust and old rock filled the air. This place was generally cool since most of it was underground.

I looked up at the ceiling. The square patterns the Solheim people used extended there, as well. The sophisticated circuit pattern trimmed it, making it look like a fantasy-sci-fi hybrid. My legs crossed and I leaned back. Resting was nice. The tension straining my limbs slowly ebbed away. Soon I was looser and more comfortable.

Noctis didn’t move. I glanced at him a few times. No emotion made itself present on him so I didn’t know what he was thinking. Was he alright? Should I ask? Maybe I should. He scratched his head. My gaze shifted away.

“Are you really alright?” His voice sounded odd against the pure silence in the room. It was loud and echoed slightly through the corridor in front of us.

“...What do you mean?” I asked, tilting my head.

“It’s… I mean, you put yourself in front of Ravus. And I know that was a couple days ago, but…”

He remained quiet for a moment. I let him think.

“It’s just… You nearly gave me a heart attack. After seeing what he did to Gladio… There’s a chance you wouldn’t have survived a real fight with him.”

My lap became an object of interest. I fiddled with my jacket zipper, a bit downcast.

“Yeah, I’m alright,” I muttered after a minute. “Like I told Ignis, it happened so fast I didn’t really give myself a chance to protest. You’re my friends, and… well, you’re the only friends I have right now. And I care about you. I get attached really quickly, I know. I don’t mean to. But… I was scared you’d get hurt. I just couldn’t let that happen.”

He sighed. “Yeah, I know what you mean. Just… You know you don’t have to take full responsibility for us, right? I know you’re grateful, and that’s nice to hear. But… You don’t owe us anything. You’re our friend, too.”

And that’s how friendship works, he meant. I could hear it in his tone. Noctis didn’t seem to be the best with expressing his emotions. I could tell he was really trying. A smile came upon my lips.

“Yeah, I know,” I said. “It’s a nice thought. I’m really glad for it.”

“It’s… weird,” he sighed. “We haven’t known you that long, but…”

He paused again. Something clattered nearby and faded.

“It feels like… I’ve known you forever, I guess.”

He said it so nonchalantly, like it didn’t really mean anything. But that was the cue for knowing it was actually the opposite. My smile returned and grew wider.

“Same,” I laughed, giving my words the same treatment. A comfortable stillness went by. Neither of us spoke. For just a little bit, we had a sense of peace.

“We should probably keep moving,” Noct said finally. He stood and helped me up.

At the bottom of the stairs was a series of small rooms. In the second we met more daemons. They were tougher and harder to beat than the fake Grimers. I got knocked onto my back a few times. Potions were running low. Once those ran out, elixirs would have to be used sparingly. The bruises from this place would stick with us for a while.

Costlemark Tower went on _forever._ It was an endless array of staircases, hallways, and collapsed architecture filled with daemons. Noctis barely escaped mostly unscathed each time (I got hurt the most). After every few fights so, we’d take a rest for a bit and then keep going. The wall carvings were starting to get boring and repetitive. Yeah, they looked cool, but I had been staring at them for hours. Just when we thought perhaps there was no end in sight, the last spiral slope opened up into a very large room with the same tiles as the staircases used.

“Woah,” I breathed, gazing up. The ceiling was dark and invisible, it was so high up. Noct led me around the area. Several square tiles lied in each corner. Some had large stacks of bricks next to them. “What do we do from here?”

“I think these weird squares have some sort of purpose,” Noct said. “Maybe they open?”

We took turns walking around on the platforms. Noctis had the genius idea to stand on one. When it began descending, I almost jumped off.

What followed was the most excruciating puzzle of my life.

We had to _move_ the cubes we stood on. And not just that, we had to decide _where to move them._ Then monsters attacked us every other space. Sometimes Noct would push the block left instead of right and we’d have to go back around. My eye twitched when the same thing repeated after completing the first. And then the second. And the the third.

After each individual puzzle was solved, the ground opened up and dropped us through to a large room held up by columns. Red giants and imps and all manner of daemons attacked us and we only just managed to defeat them in one piece. Then we had to head up and do it all again. Several times we argued.

“I thought you said left!”

“We already did that one!”

“No we didn’t! It went right instead of forward.”

“But the _last_ one did the _same thing.”_

“No it didn’t!”

“Yes it did!”

“No it _didn’t!”_

_“Yes it did.”_

Then…

“I don’t think this is going to work.”

“Shh… I’m thinking.”

“Seriously, Noctis, it couldn’t be left three times in a row. How do you even know where we’re going? Everything looks the same!”

“Just… hold on a sec.”

“We’ve been at this for hours. Can we _please_ take a break?”

“Will you shut up for a second and let me figure this out?”

“Fine. I’ll be over there watching and judging every move you make.”

Finally, _finally,_ we made it to the fourth. Well, not yet. But we reached the end of the third cube puzzle. Trial and error never fails. My hair was sticking out all over at this point. Our clothes were torn and slightly singed. Everything hurt and ached and weighed me down like an anchor. After the last mini fight, we dropped down into the boss battle.

There were two red giants this time. Noctis had to use his armiger to take them out while I tended to the smaller monsters. His glaives gleamed and flashed beautifully as they took down daemon after daemon. I was stuck getting cornered every other imp.

My own sword wasn’t balanced very well. At least, not for someone of my size. While I had been doing well in training, Gladio had suggested that we should probably find something better suited for me. That being said, my cuts and slashes tended to be a bit sloppy no matter how hard I tried. Teetering forward a bit too much, I thrust at the daemon in front of me. It lashed out with razor sharp claws. I slashed at it. The blade of the sword shifted a little too far to the right. I missed.

I quickly found myself lying on my back with three deep gashes starting from my side to the left half of my middle. The pain was unbearable, so bad I could hardly feel anything but the absence of flesh and something leaking from it. Noctis let out a short roar and the daemon was gone with one hit.

“Noct…” I wheezed. My head felt light, spinning slightly. There were two Noctises hovering over me.

“Stay calm, okay,” they said. They both held out an elixir. “Here.”

They crushed it and the pain faded slowly as the wounds closed. I closed my eyes as Noct helped me lie back. Wheezy breaths filled an otherwise quiet atmosphere. Could he hear the heart racing inside me? I swallowed.

“There’s… a chance it might scar,” he said. “A wound that bad. I’m sorry I wasn’t paying more close attention.”

“‘S’not your fault,” I slurred, trying to stay awake. “Ignis ‘n’ Gladio are gonna- gonna kick your ass, though.”

Trying to see again, only a sliver of vision returned. My eyelids wouldn’t cooperate. Sitting up ended as failure. Noctis helped me move into a more comfortable position as he leaned against the wall. His body supported mine as I slouched against him. Forgetting where we were, I slipped into dreamland.

 

When I woke up, we were back in the starting room. My head was lying on one of Noctis’ crossed legs. His eyes were closed and his breathing was steady. He must be out, too. Then I noticed some soft fabric covering me. Somehow he had retrieved my blanket from his inventory. I thought it was back at the campsite, but there it was. Slowly sitting up, I maneuvered both Noct and I so the blanket covered us both.

Some time later, the prince awoke to find warmth cloaking him and a weight on his shoulder. My head rested there, his own against mine. I straightened up as he stirred.

“Hey,” he said sleepily.

“Hello,” I yawned. “Hope we weren’t out too long.”

“Yeah. Come on, we’ve got one more left.”

At the end of the fourth puzzle was another room. It was smaller and held a metal platform in the middle surrounded by stone railing. Short obelisks circled the railing. I snapped a quick picture, like I done with the rest of the tower.

A little dome rested in the middle of the platform. Lines lit up white as Noct touched it. We both stood still as the pad brought us smoothly down into a large control room. It was a metal dome with wire-looking accents. Our platform slid through a red and glass shoot and ended in the middle of the room.

A giant lizard roared as we stepped back. Insect-like wings protruded from its back. The long snout was lined with pointed teeth. The tail looked strong and heavy. I made a mental note to stay clear of it.

“Is that a dragon?!” I shouted as Noctis went straight for it. I warily kept back.

“I think it’s a jabberwock!”

“Oh _joyous_ day, callooh callay!”

“It’s ‘frabjous’!”

“Whatever, I was being sarcastic.”

Noctis got the beast distracted. My sword found its side and slashed furiously. I noticed jagged horns poking out from its head. Noctis swerved around and went for a wing.

The jabberwock was rather slow. It could move swiftly in bursts but otherwise stayed in one place. I got out of the way when Noct told me to, narrowly avoiding the beast’s petrifying attacks. The sides of it ended up scratched and partially flayed from my own. Noctis did the most damage, summoning his armiger once more and going all out.

In the far reaches of the circular room, I spotted a dash of gray. It was quick, but when I looked again, it remained. A long greatsword with a choppy edge lied amongst stone from a royal tomb. I made sure Noct was okay before making a break for it.

I sprinted toward the weapon. It stayed still as the dragon rushed us for time. Panting heavily, the sword got nearer… and nearer…

_One step, two step. Almost there..._

_**Whoompf!!** _

A heavy weight slammed into me. The jabberwock launched my body from the ground into the wall on the opposite side of the room. The wind burst from me as I hit the metal casing. My body collapsed and tumbled down to the floor.

Ringing. That was the only sound to be heard. Its shrill tune rattled my brain. The floor shook beneath me, physically and visibly. The scene before me swam, blurring together the colors of red and black and gold as my mind tried to collect itself together. My skull pulses incessantly with pain. I couldn’t move. When I tried to get up, I fell back again.

Blue flashes met the corner of my eye. Noctis had summoned his armiger again and struck the beast down blow after blow after blow. With one final jerk of his hand, every royal weapon he had collected thus far filleted the jabberwock with a righteous vengeance that exploded in a bright burst of blue and white crystalline power. The beast had been smote.

As my hearing returned, I heard Noctis say, “That’s for my sister, you son of a bitch.”

He stuck a sword into the corpse and rushed to my aid.

“Hey, you okay?” He helped me as I struggled to stand.

“I think so,” I rasped, nodding weakly. “Could use a vacation, but I won’t ask too much.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be back soon.”

He lifted a hand to the royal broadsword which floated up across the room and dove into him. Then he assisted me in looking around for something to help us get out. A flashing light caught his eye and we limped over to it.

“Uh, what does ‘hostibus’ mean?” he read. My thoughts sifted through my conjugations and declensions for a minute. Remembering Latin in this state was difficult.

“Uh…”

_Hostis, hostis… hoste? No that’s ablative. Hostem… Hostis, hostis, hostī… Hostēs, hostum… Hostibus…_

“For enemies.”

Noctis pressed the button. The light stopped flashing and went out.

“Guess that did the trick,” he muttered. “Come on.”

Supporting me, he led us back to the platform in the middle. Something shiny caught my eye.

“Hey, wait,” I choked out. “What’s that?”

A gorgeous sword peeked out from behind one of the panels. Noct deposited me on the elevator and retrieved it. The hilt was elegant. The pattern woven into the metal reminded me of Vikings and the Nordic countries. It ended in a slight point, the handle made of black leather. The blade was a nice length, extending out a good few feet or so as I held it. Its weight felt nice in my hand. It balanced perfectly.

“I like it,” I admired softly. Sparkling, childlike eyes met Noct’s. “Can I keep it?”

He chuckled. “Sure, why not.”

With a smile, I touched the orb on the elevator to take us back up.

“Thanks, _brother.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeeeaaahhh... Costlemark gave me a really hard time. I still love it, though!
> 
> I hope it’s obvious by this point that Reader and Noct are what Ardyn and Somnus could’ve been: a king and a healer on a journey to help the world. Only their story didn’t end up that way. How will this one end? We shall see in time~


	21. I’m Taking A Break, Thank You Very Much

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Noctis make it back to camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT’S SPRING BREAK BITCHEEEEESSSS  
> So that means even MORE writing ^w^  
> I realized I never put the link to Reader’s new sword up so here it is!:  
> https://pin.it/pdxmzatwmbs53g

The cool night air kissed our lungs as we emerged from Costlemark Tower. Star twinkling a hello. A breeze blew past. Both Noctis and I were glad to be out.

The guys had disappeared. We supposed they went back to the camp so they could try and look for us in the morning. Noct helped support me and my wheezing coughs slowly down the stairs and through the grass. It took a while, but we finally made it back to camp.

Prompto spotted us first. His shout alerted the other two and soon three figures were sprinting across the small field. Prom made the misjudged mistake of hugging me first. I cried out as every bruise and cut and ache on me screamed in agony as the slightly touch. Ignis and Gladio helped me back up the slope to the camp as Noct hurriedly explained everything.

“You two did what?!” Gladio roared. He backed down when he saw me flinch. Ignis rummaged through the bags by the makeshift stove and returned to me with a first aid kit. “Are you both insane?”

“Sorry,” we whimpered at the same time.

“I’m just glad you’re alright,” Ignis said, scooting my chair closer to the fire so he could see. “We panicked as soon as we saw the entrance had disappeared. We searched everywhere to find a switch or lever or _some_ way to open it back up. Then we came back here to regroup before trying again.”

“The switch was in the control room,” I said. “Where the jabberwock was.”

“I got the royal arm,” Noctis announced.

“Good,” Ignis said, dabbing at a cut on my forehead, “that saves us a lot of trouble.”

“But _______ took a beating. It wasn’t just that damn dragon that got to her.”

Curious to see if what Noct said was true, I absentmindedly lifted the left side of my shirt and peered down. Prompto gasped. Ignis inhaled sharply. Gladio and Noct came round to see.

Three long scars trailed from near the center of my stomach to my left side. Each was just a bit darker than my skin and easily noticeable. My throat clogged up a bit at the sight. Shit. That was a lot worse than I expected.

“Noct?” Gladio growled lowly.

“Y-yeah?”

“You’re dead meat.”

“You used a potion, I presume?” Ignis asked quietly as Noctis took off with Gladio hot on his trail.

“Yeah,” I said. “Elixir. I fell asleep afterward.”

“Uh, shouldn’t we stop them?” Prompto asked.

“Noct’s had worse,” Ignis said. The sounds of the Noct and Gladio’s scuffle could be heard below the campsite. “And he’ll get an earful from me when that’s over.”

“It’s my fault,” I tried to say as Ignis turned my head. “I shouldn’t have convinced him to explore.”

“Noctis is always getting himself into trouble. He’s just as much at fault for not copping out when things got rough. But still, you both should know better than to explore a tower filled with daemons by yourselves. And not stopping when you should have… With that sort of recklessness, I’m starting to wonder if you really _are_ related in some way.”

“W-well, we did call each other brother and sister. Or at least, I heard him say that to the dragon and reciprocated.”

“Awww,” Prompto gushed. “I _gotta_ get a picture of that soon.”

“Get a picture of what?” Noct came walking up the slope. He looked worse than when we came out of the ruins. His hair was messy and sticking out everywhere. At least one bruise marked his cheek.

“Just your adorable sibling relationship!”

“Fuckin’ knew it,” Gladio said, crossing his arms.

“You okay, Noct?” I asked. He nodded.

“I… kinda deserved it,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “For not paying attention in there. You’re lucky you didn’t get hurt more.”

“You’re lucky you made it out _alive,”_ Ignis said, cleaning the scratches on my arm.

“You’ve finally earned your stripes,” Gladio said to me proudly. “Even if it’s a bit literal. We should get you that new sword soon.”

“Actually, we found this in there, too,” Noctis said, summoning the pretty sword and handing it to him. “I told her she could keep it.”

“Woah,” Prompto gasped. “That’s totally an awesome sword!”

“Good for your size, too,” Gladio assessed. “Not bad. You just found it in there?”

“Yeah, with the greatsword,” Noct answered. “Same room. Guess that jabberwock’s got a thing for sword collecting.”

Gladio leaned the sword against my chair. I admired its elegance and sighed happily. Ignis continued tending to me. There wasn’t much he could do as most of the wounds were small and all the big damage had been fully body. But I thanked him nonetheless.

Soon all five of us were sitting around the fire in the early morning hours. Glad and Prom looked on with approving amusement as Ignis berated me and Noct for our wild, dangerous escapades.My head hung slightly in shame while Noct glared at the ground to the his left with crossed arms. Before going to bed, they had me and Noct retell everything that had happened in more detail. Once that was over, a nice quiet fell.

“You know,” Noctis turned to me, “a good sword needs a good name.”

“Ooh, what about ‘the Costlemark Destroyer’?” Prompto said, enthusiastically spreading his hands as he spoke. I laughed.

“No, no,” I said. I pulled out my phone and headed to notes. There I had a list of names I had come up with and compiled in Tolkien’s Elvish for stories. Convenient. “Ithilcalad. Elvish for moon’s fire or moonlight.”

“More of that… Lord Ring or Ring Lord thing?” Noctis questioned. I laughed for a second.

“Yep. Lord of the Rings. The guy who wrote them made his own languages. Elvish is really pretty and it’s perfect for naming things. So Ithilcalad.”

The blade gleamed brightly under the night’s watch as we slept.

The next day we piled into the Regalia to head back to Lestallum before setting out for Cape Caem. Noctis and I got a good nap in with a shared dream of a far off world. We fought both heroes and villains and got lost more than once. We parted ways with our new friends and woke up.

We walked into Lestallum about an hour after noon (we all slept in a bit after staying up so late). After lunch, the guys went to restock on ingredients and potions while I worked up the courage to talk to the concierge at the Leville. Iris was waiting when I got there.

“________?” she said. I jumped slightly and calmed when I saw it was her.

“Hey Iris,” I breathed. “You scared me.”

“Sorry… Where’s Gladdy and Noct?”

“They’re stocking up on stuff for the road. We got beat pretty badly - well, Noct and I did - in this place called- hey, what’s wrong?”

Iris wasn’t smiling. Her gaze was cast at the tiled floor, arms folded. She looked… sad. She shook her head at my question.

“I… Can I tell you when the guys get here?” she asked. I nodded.

“Yeah. Um… Hmm.”

_What do I do? What do I say? Do I offer a hug again? Should I just stand here and wait?_

I pulled out my phone and told Ignis what was up. He responded that they’d be there soon. I slipped the device back in my jacket pocket. Iris didn’t seem to be any better.

“Here,” I said gently. My hand gestured to the round seat in the lobby. “Why don’t you sit down? I’ll go get the rooms I said I would and I’ll come right back. Ignis said they’ll be here soon. Does… Does that sound good?”

She nodded. Once she was sitting, my legs carried me to the front desk.

“Umm….” I murmured. “I, uh, I need… two rooms. For five people. Uh, double beds in both, please…”

The concierge typed something out on his computer. “You’re in luck! We have just enough open spaces.”

Not knowing what to say, I just nodded once.

“How many nights will you be staying?”

“Uh…”

_Crap I don’t know. Maybe a night? Or two? Depending on what Iris has to tell us, I have no idea._

The awkward silence had me hating my inability to talk to people normally. The man stared at me as my mind blanked.

“I- I don’t- Oh, um… Maybe just- I think- I don’t…”

He became more confused the more I stuttered. I couldn’t get a complete sentence out and he said nothing. My shoulders fell and I took a step back.

“Actually, you know what? Neverm-”

“Just one night, thanks.”

Ignis, you were sent from above.

He guided me back to where everyone was waiting after we collected the keys. Iris stood and was talking to Gladio.

“The empire came while you were gone,” she said. We all tensed.

“We should probably continue this somewhere else,” Gladio said. We filed up the stairs and to our rooms. I saw Talcott peek out from one nearby. He closed his door when he saw me staring.

“None of us said a word about Noct,” Iris explained once we were all situated. Most of the guys stood - Gladio was behind Iris - and Prompto and I sat on one of the beds. I averted my gaze and listened. “They just showed up and then…”

She sniffed.

“Poor Jared…”

“What do you mean?” Gladio asked urgently. “What happened to Jared-?”

“There was nothing we could do!”

The room was filled with silence and a stiffness that came with the unexpected death of a loved one. I didn’t know Jared well enough to cry, but my chest tensed a little and my heart sank. He had been so nice and welcoming to me.

_Is this… No it couldn’t be my fault. We’ve been gone too long. How did they know?_

_What do I do? Should I say something?_

_No, bad idea._

The creaking of the door notified us of Talcott’s presence. He was sniffling and trying his hardest not to cry. My heart ached. This poor boy… He didn’t have anyone else, did he? Besides Iris, but… they weren’t related as far as I knew.

Noctis crouched in front of him.

“It’s… not right,” he said. “We should’ve been here.”

Talcott’s restrained sobs reached my ears. He refused to meet anyone’s eyes. I stood.

“I… I couldn’t…” he choked out. “I couldn’t stop them!”

_Oh my heart…_

“But I won’t let the empire get away with it,” Noctis continued. “They’ll pay… for what they’ve done. I promise.”

“I… believe in you, Prince Noctis,” Talcott sniffed. He stilled for a moment before turning and shuffling down the hall. Some sort of strange maternal instinct lit up inside me. As Iris spoke again, I slipped through the door.

As I followed Talcott, a flash of red caught my eye. I looked but saw an empty hallway. My brows furrowed. My attention turned back to Talcott. I knelt down in front of him.

“Hey,” I whispered. Unsure of what else to do, my arms opened. “Come here.”

Still sniffling, the small child was slowly enveloped in the most comforting embrace I could provide. One hand rubbed his back. He kept trying to hold back his tears with heart wrenching sniffs and quiet sobs. It caused a slight pain in my chest.

“It’s okay to cry,” I told him. “It’s perfectly okay. It’s a natural response to grief.”

He let himself cry. My hold didn’t let up and I wouldn’t let it until he was feeling better. After a while, he returned the hug.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed. All I knew was that there was a sad child without a mother that needed help. And if no one else was going to give it, then I would. Children don’t usually sit well with me, but I’d make an exception this time. Talcott was sweet and very smart and seeing him so upset… Well, I already said it hurt.

When he had calmed down a bit, I withdrew my arms. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” he said thickly. “Thank you, Miss ______.”

“It’s no problem at all, okay? Remember: your emotions are valid and it’s perfectly alright to show them. I’m really sorry about your grandpa. But you’ll get through this, okay? It’ll take time, but I’m sure he’d want you to stay strong, right?”

He nodded firmly. “I won’t let him down!”

I smiled. “I know you won’t.”

Talcott went to his room. I stood there silently for a moment, picking at my now wet shoulder. Oh well, it was worth it. Poor kid…

Movement caught my eye again. I peered back down the hall. Some sort of gray fabric fluttered around the corner and out of sight. Eye narrowing, I checked to see who had been watching. No one was seen beyond the turn.

“Hmm… That was weird.”

We all finally got a break that night. Albeit a depressing break, but it was a break nevertheless. I curled up on a warm bed after a solemn dinner. Talcott wasn’t looking much better but his crying had halted for the time being.

Noct and I shared a room while the other three took the second. Ignis had the second to ours so he could wake us up in the morning. Not much was said while we got ready for bed. Noctis was rather tense, his frame stiff and mostly unmoving when he stilled. I tried to get him to talk, but he resisted so I dropped it.

I fell asleep first that night. The sound of someone tossing and turning drew me from my dreams. Noctis panted and growled in his sleep. A few whimpers came forth. Sighing, I sleepily stood. He wasn’t even under the covers.

“Noct,” I muttered, shaking him awake. “It’s just a dream. Wake up.”

He grunted and turned his back to me. “Ten more minutes.”

An hour or two later, his nightmare returned. I got up, shook him awake, and went back to bed. And then it happened a third time. I sighed for the umpteenth time.

“Alright move over,” I growled sleepily. He had pulled up a blanket the second time he woke up. I shoved him a few inches and crawled next to him.

“What’re you doing…?” he drawled.

“This is the third time you’ve had that dream. I will make it run in terror. Goodnight.”

Ignis found us platonically (or familially) snuggling the next morning. The picture made its way onto his phone and into my messages. He would never let Noct live that down. The prince was super embarrassed, however, glaring at Ignis and almost pushing me out of bed. We decided to never speak of it again for his sake. I saved the picture on my phone.

Noct and I sluggishly made our way downstairs. Everyone else was waiting at the doorway.

“Shall we then?” Ignis prompted.

“Yeah,” Gladio said. “I don’t wanna leave Cid and Cindy waiting. They’re fixing up the boat as we speak.”

“We ought to thank them.”

“Actually, Jared’s the one we oughta thank.”

“He really thought of everything,” Prompto said.

We made the short trek to the Regalia. Fitting six people (Iris was tagging along) inside would be a squeeze, but it could be done. Ignis decided to put the top up and Gladio reluctantly let his sister sit on his lap. If fortune favored us, it wouldn’t get too cramped.

The ride wasn’t anything to write home about (if I _could_ write home). Just the usual scenery of forests and occasional lake. About halfway through the journey, a giant, triangular airship flew overhead. I immediately looked down. Bad memories…

“Oh great,” Gladio said, voice laced with sarcasm. “Another floating fortress.”

“Let’s pull over,” Ignis suggested. Iris turned to Noctis.

“Noct…” she trailed.

“Relax,” he said. “We’ve got this.”

“I’m assuming I’m banned from going?” I said.

“Probably for the best,” Gladio answered. Ignis pulled into a town called Old Lestallum.

“Thought so.”

The guys left me to explain go Iris what had happened at the last imperial base. She was pretty shocked when I told her over lunch. Then I told her about Costlemark and that whole disaster.

“Sounds like you’ve had a hell of a time,” she joked.

“More of a frozen hell,” I said, smiling. “So what’re we gonna do while they’re gone?”

The answer was defy the patriarchy. Against what the guys would advise, Jared’s death had Iris out for the empire’s blood (not that she would let her brother know). But since we couldn’t hunt down imperials, we settled for small hunts we couldn’t possibly die from.

Being the daughter of the king’s Shield naturally meant she grew up learning how to fight. The guys confirmed their course for the base, meaning they wouldn’t be back anytime soon. It had been a few hours already after getting a motel room and eating lunch, so since we were already bored, why not?

The sabertusks we took out didn’t stand a chance. Fighting with Ithilcalad was smooth and much easier than the blade the boys had given me. Combined with magic and Iris’ quick, graceful strikes, they died out quickly.

Next were some giant wasps I didn’t want to go anywhere near. We began with a blast of ice and snow and finished them off within a few minutes with only minor scratches.

By then it was getting late. The motel room provided a wonderful place to rest. Hopefully the last bounty we took wouldn’t take too long tomorrow.

“So tell me more about this Ardyn guy,” Iris said as we got into our beds. I had the one nearest the window, as per usual. And she was teasing me now, of course.

“Well…” I swallowed. “Turns out he’s the chancellor of the empire…?”

“What?! No way! And you guys didn’t know?”

“No idea. When we went to see Titan, he let me ride in his car and then convinced me to stay while the guys went to the Meteor.”

“Wow, I bet they were pissed.”

“Oh yeah. They were. But… I don’t think he’s that bad, to be honest. He’s really nice, to me at least.”

I sighed dreamily.

“I had a panic attack and he helped me through it. Calmed me down pretty easily.”

“Huh. Weird for a Niff. And he’s not like that with the others?”

“Not at all. Complete opposite, almost.”

“Hmm… There’s a chance he could be trying to manipulate you, you know?”

“I’ve thought about that. But there’s no proof of it yet. He doesn’t ask me specific things like what our plans are. Just ‘how did you meet’ and ‘how are they treating you’ type stuff. I know you guys really hate the empire and I can definitely see why - can’t say I like them at all, myself - but…”

“You really like _him.”_

“Ah… Yeah, I do.”

_Wow. Can’t believe I admitted it._

Silence reigned. Iris’ thoughts stewed in her brain. I waited to see if she would say anything else.

“Well,” she said slowly. “What does he look like? He’s a politician, right, so I bet you wouldn’t go for one of those unless he was attractive at the least.”

I laughed. “He’s… Hmmmmm I’m not used to this kind of talk…”

Heat crawled up my neck to my face. The heart fluttering in my chest wanted to break free and fly away. My hands pulled the comforter up closer to me.

“Well you’ve been with four guys for weeks,” Iris teased. “You need some girl time!”

She was trying so hard to keep Ardyn’s title out of mind and support my interest in him. My torso felt warm at the thought.

“...He’s… gorgeous…” I admitted in a whisper. It was her turn to laugh. “I’m serious! I’ve never seen someone so… perfect - well, maybe Tom Hiddleston or Loki. But his hair is so… wavy and he’s got that rugged charm going on. And his jawline and… his _eyes._ They’re hazel or something; really a golden color but they were the first thing I noticed.”

“Oooh you’ve got it bad!”

I pulled the blanket over my head. “Goodnight.”

“Wait, no, come back out. I wanna hear more!”

“No.”

“Please?”

“Noooo…”

“Pleeeaaase?”

I peeked out. “Don’t get me started on his voice. _God.”_

The blanket came back up as I spoke again.

“It’s addicting to listen to.”

Iris erupted into a fit of giggles and I joined her.

The morning brought sobering situations. The guys texted me that they’d be back in a few hours. Iris and I hurried to our last hunt: a coeurl. It was basically an electric cheetah with really long whiskers.

The coeurl took both of us to fight. I lit the surroundings on fire as Iris got closer to slash and stab. With a blast of ice, I lashed out with Ithilcalad. Iris stabbed the big cat at the same time, but her attack was more effective. It turned on her and before I could stop it, claws came swiping at her.

With a loud cry, I summoned the power of the Glacian and froze the area within a fifty-foot radius. Then my feet dashed over to Iris who was now sitting on the ground, the dead coeurl lying over her. I pushed it off. Iris was bleeding pretty badly from scratches on her arms and a few had landed on her chest above head dress. My hand glowed a light turquoise. One finger poked her forehead and the wounds were gone.

“Woah, how did you do that?” she asked, awestruck. A pained smile was her answer as the pain from the scratches lit my arms aflame with the sensation. But something was wrong. My chest was hurting, like someone had tried stabbing it but didn’t quite do the job right. One cough escaped me. And then another. “_______?”

I began the coughing again. It wouldn’t stop this time. My body was hunched over, a hand catching the breath from my mouth and whatever came out. Iris placed a hand on my back.

It felt like someone had flayed the inside of my throat. Each cough came out roughly and painfully. When the attack finally finished, I looked down at my hand. Iris gasped behind me.

Little drops of blood stained my hand. My eyes widened, heart nearly stopping.

_No no no this can’t be happening. Healing’s a good thing, isn’t it? Why would it hurt me? Unless that’s the price I pay for using such a gift…_

_Ardyn is right. I really need to be more careful._

“Come on,” Iris said gently, helping me stand. “Let’s get back before the others arrive.”

Scared to speak, I only nodded.

Water was a blessing. I had drank three bottles of the stuff when the guys got back. My throat also felt much better. Oh, and I had also sworn Iris to secrecy until I could figure out what was going on.

“We got some money,” I announced, holding out a bag full of gil.

“And where’d you get it from?” Gladio asked, suspicious. He crossed his arms.

“I found another piano. Turns out people don’t really get live performances around here so everyone was really grateful.”

That seemed to quell their suspicions.

Along the way to Caem, they told us about the fort they infiltrated. One of the heads of the imperial army was there and they managed to knock him out. Only he escaped quickly and then they were attacked by a flying female warrior. Shd called it quits when her work hours were up. I found both amusing and respectable. She knew her priorities.

“I coulda gone another round,” Gladio declared.

“Given her prowess,” Ignis said, “you should be glad you didn’t.”

“Yeah,” Prompto breathed. “That Loqi guy was nothing compared to her.”

I perked up. “Loki?”

“Not your myth guy or whatever,” Noct said. “The guy in the robot machine from the first place we took down.”

I shrunk back down, disappointed.

Another hour passed. We drove down a road with the Rock of Ravatogh in the distance. To our left was a wall and the right was thick, green woodlands.

“Is it me or is this place beggin’ to be explored?” Prompto said.

“Never been one to turn down an invitation,” Noct said.

“That explains a lot,” I muttered. He gave me a lighthearted shove.

“If what they say about the Malmalam Thicket is true…” Ignis thought aloud.

“Then we might just find what we’re lookin’ for here,” Gladio finished.

“A boat?” I questioned, confused.

“No,” Ignis said, smiling. “A royal arm.”

Oh. Right.

_Man there are a lot of those._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’ve got another story up now. It’s Noct and Reader’s journey in Dissidia NT if anyone’s interested. Idk how often THAT one will update, but I’ll give it a try, I guess.
> 
> Next chapter’s gonna be fuuuunn~  
> You know why.


	22. Amabilis iterum vidēre, mea amata

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader, Iris, and the guys explore Malmalam Thicket. Then Gladio departs and the remaining four head to even more Solheim ruins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “Lovely to see you again, my beloved”
> 
> What’s that? An update three days in a row? Ha ha yes! Spring Break means more writing >:)
> 
> Anyway, onto this chapter!  
> You guys are gonna hate me lol

“Oh! While you guys were gone, we saw a chocobo run past and it had a person on its back. _______ said you actually got to ride them! I bet it was super fun.”

“Haha, yeah,” Prompto brushes it off like it was nothing.

“Noct, call a bird for the lady,” Ignis said. Noctis blew the chocobo whistle. Light breath tickled the back of my neck.

“Hello, Sleipnir,” I cooed, nuzzling her beak. Sleipnir chirped.

Iris let me name her chocobo Artemis and we were off. The trail leading to the thicket took about an hour to get to by bird. We all followed Noct as he led us over rocks and hills and then over a bridge I was scared of. The water below looked inviting and cool but I didn’t want to take any chances.

“_______, get a move on!” Gladio called. “It’s just a bridge; you’ll be fine!”

_“Just_ a bridge?” I shouted back. “Say that to all the movies where the bridges snap!”

_Bridge over troubled waters, I’ll bet._

Sleipnir took matters into her own hands and carefully stepped onto the wood planks. Step by step she walked until we were on the other side. I gave her a few grateful pets and whispered praise. Precious girl.

Malmalam Thicket was dark and dank. Most of the path was surrounded by natural stone walls covered in moss and thick trees in every corner. The smell of wet grass hung in the air, which felt the tiniest bit humid but still a bit cool.

Giant bugs swooped out of the air to attack us. Terrified, I swing Ithilcalad at them until their corpses lied dead on the ground. Not today, thank you. I’d really rather not deal with that today. Prompto readily agreed with me. Then the trees sprouted up and started attacking us.

_Talk about being ‘one’ with nature…_

In a little alcove in one “room” of the thicket, Noctis found some Malmashrooms. Ignis inspected them and his eyes lit up like fireworks.

“That’s it!” he declared.

“What’s up, Iggy?” Gladio asked.

“I’ve come up with a new recipe!”

I mouthed along as he said it. That phrase was becoming a sort of meme within our little group. He had said that at least ten times by now.

“I can’t wait to try it,” Noctis said. We continued on.

After fighting some huge crabs that wanted to eat me, we came across a creek flowing down from the hill. Right next to it was a campsite. I prayed to any god listening that we wouldn’t stay there for the night. It was just past one in the afternoon.

They did decide to have a late lunch there, so that was a nice break. Noctis and I gathered some more magical energy. ‘Twas I who lit the campfire and put it out when we were done. The food was, as usual, delicious. Then we were on our way.

“Ah, man!” Prompto exclaimed once we were back in the water and heading upstream. “My underwear’s soaked!”

“I… really hope that’s from the river,” Noct replied.

Getting to the top of the slope was difficult. We slipped several times. The current’s strength tugged at our feet. It threatened to carry us away. Prompto and I helped each other not to fall. Then Gladio helped us when we reached the top.

Another fight broke out with the local wildlife. Some of us kept falling into the water. The bug bugs made us dizzy and I really hoped I wouldn’t hurt myself in confusion. When that dispersed I was set upon by one of the giant crabs that wanted to feast on my flesh. Well, they probably didn’t but that’s how I saw it. The battle went on for ages but thankfully, with six of us, it got done sooner than I expected.

We had to wade through a part of the waterfall to keep going. Tired of all the water getting in my shoes (it was sloshing around and making me cringe), I just froze the whole thing so we could sneak over it. Simple enough. We had to be careful not to slip, though.

“It just keeps going,” Noct said when we were all on the other side. I canceled the freezing effect and torrents of water came bursting over the edge. Good thing we were out of the way.

“Then we keep going too,” Gladio told him sternly. Now the surroundings were completely made of rock. Our footsteps were the only sound as we rushed through. The stone gave way to grass and dirt halfway. The cave opened up to a green clearing surrounded by birch trees. A very large creature roamed around in the back. I lagged behind a bit, memories of the jabberwock still fresh in my mind.

With a few words of courage, the guys ran toward it. I stood there, trembling and watching. The thing was as big as the dragon in Costlemark and just as scary. Its face was armored with spikes and horns. The rest of its reddish body was much the same, ending in a spiked tail that didn’t pose as a threat this time.

My hands heated up, glowing a slight red. I lifted one up and _boom!_ The ground beneath creature exploded with flames. It roared and charged me.

“Oh shit,” I muttered. Wielding Ithilcalad, my legs dashed to the right. I ran toward the trees. The beast skidded to a halt and and swung around. “What _is_ that thing?”

“I believe it is called a bandersnatch,” Ignis called back.

“Benedict Cumberbatch?!”

_Oh Ben, what has this world done to you?_

“Ban-der-snatch!”

“Free band-aids with every snack?”

“I’m not repeating it again!”

My laughter sounded almost maniacal as I lit the bandersnatch on fire again. He charged once more. I fled. He ran into the trees. The boys launched themselves at the vulnerable beast. With another burst of flames and more blows from the guys and Iris, the bandersnatch was no more.

“Noct, you might want to see this,” Ignis said. At the very end of the clearing, a royal tomb rested. Noctis unlocked it, and we waited as he collected the scepter inside. My vision went white.

_The black haired man in white came upon a village. An enormous, burning mass of bodies lied at its outskirts. Daemons and innocents alike had perished in the raging fire. The man bristled with anger and forced himself to turn away._

_I watched as he entered a house. A girl with a familiar dark vapor around her lied on a bed, snarling. The man held out his hand._

_  
_

_The scene vanished._

Blinking, I landed back down on planet Eos. Gladio said something I didn’t hear.

“Almost makes up for the soaked socks and bug bites,” Prompto joked back. I smiled and nodded.

The rest of the ride to Cape Caem relaxed all of us. No more having to kill things and traipse through the wilderness. Although, killing things other than daemons wasn’t sitting well with me. It just made me feel guilty, even though it was self defense.

We finally made it to the port after driving through a tunnel. A gorgeous, blue ocean sparkled in the sun’s light to our right. Seagulls flew about in the distance. An odd-looking lighthouse sat on a hill. I assumed that was where we were heading.

“This the place?” Gladio asked.

“Sure is!” Iris answered. “Thanks for the lift Ignis.”

“My pleasure,” he said.

“Can’t wait to see my buddy Talcott!” Prompto said.

Cape Caem was just as beautiful as the sea it bordered. A cute little trail rimmed by stacked bricks led up to the lighthouse and a place to stay. The leafy trees and sea breeze gave the whole place a light and airy atmosphere I wholeheartedly welcomed. Letting go of the tension in my body, I relaxed a bit, shoulders dropping.

Cindy waited for us about halfway up the path. She had us follow her up as she explained what was going on with the boat. I wasn’t really listening, but my ears did their equivalent of zooming in when I thought I heard the word “mithril.”

_Nah, they wouldn’t have that here. That’s more Lord of the Rings. Too much of a coincidence._

Apparently work on the boat was going at snail’s pace. A very steady snail, but a snail nonetheless. Cid didn’t have all the material he needed, so we’d probably have to go out and get it ourselves. I sighed. Another setback.

_When can Noct and I see the Oracle?_

_Not now and at this pace, probably not ever._

Biting back a groan, I trailed behind my friends as they reached a very worn and weathered house. It had definitely seen better days. The edges were dark and a bit rusty. Whitewashed walls had started fading with time. How old was this place?

Talcott waited for us in the front. He greeted us excitedly.

“I think Miss Cindy might’ve told you already,” he said, “but she needs a very special kind of ore called mythril to fix the boat.”

So I _did_ hear right. My happy inhale had heads heads turning.

“Sorry,” I muttered, looking down.

“You know what that is?” Prompto asked.

Shivering slightly, I answered, “Only the toughest material in Middle-earth! - Lord of the Rings again, Noct - The dwarves in Moria had a lot of it, I think. Nothing can pierce it! Not even the spear that a troll threw at Frodo got through. He wasn’t skewered, he just got a big bruise!”

“And just when I thought you couldn’t get any nerdier,” Gladio teased.

“Well,” Talcott cut in, “not exactly, but you’ve got the right idea.”

I beamed.

“Remember the waterfall? I read in Grandpa’s notebook there’s some ruins near a lake just north of there. It said you’ll find mythril inside!”

_More ruins? Yes please!!_

_Lord of the Rings, ancient ruins, and my new best friends? All we need is Ardyn and this would be **perfect.**_

“About that lake,” Iris said. “Pretty sure he was talking about the Vesperpool.”

The knowledge I had gathered in this world surfaced.

“Steyliff Grove?” I asked eagerly. More staring. “More Solheim ruins.”

“Great,” Noct grumbled. “More places to get trapped in.”

“I asked Monica to look into it,” Iris continued, “and she told me the road leading there’s under imperial lockdown.”

“Road work ahead?” I whispered to myself. “Uh YEAH I sure HOPE it _does.”_

Prompto and Noct snorted and had trouble keeping in their giggled next to me.

“Give us a minute,” Gladio told Iris.

“Uh, okay?” she said, put off by his request. “I’ll wait inside then.”

When she was gone, Gladio turned to all of us.

“So, yeah,” he began. “I’m gonna have to ask you to handle this boat business without me.”

_What? Why?_

“Say what?” Prompto voiced.

“Got some business of my own to deal with,” Glad told us. Noctis mulled it over for a moment.

“Do you thing,” he decided. “Not like we could stop you anyway.”

“You know me too well. See you around guys.”

Gladio left by chocobo. He also left Ignis to take his place with Noct as my training instructors while he was gone. Too bad I didn’t get out of that.

_But where is he going? What ‘business’ does he have to tend to?_

I guessed we’d find out sooner or later.

A few days passed. Gladio was still gone. I spent the time training and helping the others with various tasks. There was a cat by the lighthouse I visited often. She was very sweet and followed me around. I named her Pearl.

Once Ignis declared we had sufficient preparations, we headed out for the Vesperpool. It took a very long drive to even get near it. We made to the area around the waterfall and frozen hell they call cave. 

Sitting in the backseat and not pressing up against people was a feeling I had missed. Noct took the wheel, so it was me and Iggy behind him and Prompto. I had long since gotten used to the windy sensation of my hair whipping around in air currents the convertible stirred up. Unfortunately it made it very frizzy. I looked almost like an electrified cat.

“The waterfall cave was right around here,” Ignis pulled me from my thoughts.

“That means the lake should be somewhere north of here,” Prompto added.

“Be wary, though. Where we go, the empire seems to follow.”

Noct steered us toward a gates tunnel. We got a bit closer and the gate… opened? We drove on through.

“Wait,” Prompto said. “What happened to ‘under imperial lockdown’?”

“They all but turned the key and left the gates open for us,” Ignis surmised, “as if awaiting our arrival.”

My heart began its frantic struggle to leave my chest. It felt light and fluttery, feathery. There was only one person who would do such a thing for us.

“-I bet it’s that guy,” Prompto sighed, annoyed.

“Ardyn…” I muttered almost dreamily as Ignis said simultaneously, “Chancellor Izunia…”

He gave me a concerned look. I put my hands in my lap and stared at them.

_Seriously what the hell is wrong with you? You hardly know the guy!_

_But he’s nice to me._

_He’s with the enemy!_

_But he likes me._

_Does he?_

_I think so. I hope so._

_You’re impossible and I hate you._

_Gee, thanks, me._

“Can’t complain as long as he lets us in,” Noct said casually.

_Thank you, Noct._

“Who’s to say he’ll let us out?” Ignis countered. My heart jumped joyfully at the thought.

_What the hell is wrong with me?!_

“I bet _______ would like that,” Prompto teased, turning his head to see me.

“Shut up,” I ground out. “I bet you’d like the same if it were Cindy.”

“Or that girl from Vaullery,” Noct added lightly.

“Wha- hey!” Prompto protested. “Not cool!”

“Would that the marshal were with us,” Ignis butt in. “Since we _are_ a man down.”

That brought us back to the task at hand.

The road to the Vesperpool was long, winding, and puzzling. Noctis got lost at some point and Ignis and I had to figure out where to go using the map. We had gone too far, so we turned around.

Way too many troops of MTs stopped us along the way. On every stretch we came to, there they’d be at the end, ready to fight. I got so tired of repeatedly leaving and getting back into the Regalia. I just wanted to see the ancient ruins. Was that too much to ask?

At long last, we reached a parking spot. Tall leafy plants shaded the area. The clucking of birds nearby pierced the air. Not wanting to tire ourselves out further, Noct led us around them. When we reached a pool of shallow water, I gasped at all the carved stones around us. They were spread across the ground. Small corners from old, long-dead buildings jutted up from the earth. I bounced over to a fallen column. The writing carved into it was no language I had seen before. I hurried to the next. They were the same.

“You know what?” Noct said, sighing. “Just go for it. We’ll meet you there.”

“Really?” I exclaimed happily.

“Just don’t go too far,” Ignis said. “The empire is still around somewhere.”

I carefully towards the ruins in the distance. A few blocks stopped me, begging to be inspected. Some had moss growing on them. I peeled it off. Then I was bounding over to a more intact column in front. When I got tired of those, I kept my little jog up.

The ruins came into sight. With a happy noise of excitement I picked up my pace. But something quickly obstructed my path and I couldn’t stop in time.

“Oof!” I ran into someone. Their arms came out to steady me as I almost tripped over my own feet trying to stand back. “I’m so sorry! I got excited and-!”

“We really _must_ stop meeting like this,” Ardyn exaggerated, “my dear.”

Whoops there goes my brain - down the drain. I know for this, I did not train. Nothing for it could I gain. I guess my efforts were in vain.

Anyway.

“A-A-Ardyn!” I stuttered breathily, trying to catch my breath and deal with the feathery fluttering in my very heart and soul. My right wrist began its twisting in earnest. “Um… Hi!”

“A very welcome hello to you,” he said with an amused smile. One hand remained on my arm. “What, if I may ask, has you so overwrought with merriment that you neglect to pay attention to your surroundings?”

I dragged my gaze to peer around him. 

“Uh- um,” I sputtered nervously. “Stey- Steyliff- St- ugh… Stey- Steyliff- Sleight- sty- urg- the ruins.”

He laughed, head tilted back a tad.

“Please don’t hurt yourself, my dear,” he said, still smiling. I felt his gloved thumb run over my skin. “It wouldn’t do to ruin someone of your grace, and beauty.”

If I wasn’t blushing before, I definitely was now. I could feel the heat shooting up my throat to my cheeks to my forehead. I stared at his chest, unable to respond. The tip of my left foot began tapping in my shoe. The twisting of my wrist intensified, the cracking sounds and feeling providing a faint sense of calm.

“Uhh…” I replied eloquently. “I… Um…”

Face burning, my head dropped to look down at the ground.

“That’s… kind of you say…”

His lovely chuckle reached my ears.

“Come now,” he said, tilting my head up with his fingers. “There’s no need to be so shy.”

I couldn’t help but look directly into his eyes. They were so golden, so pretty. I could get lost in them.

“Ah… Um…” I gaped. He was _really_ close. I could feel the warmth from his body, smell the scent of cinnamon. His skin looked soft.

_We’re doomed._

_I know._

_Why do I feel like this?_

Something behind me caused his attention to turn elsewhere. I heard the water sloshing and splashing as someone approached. Ardyn’s gentle smirk morphed into his usual condescending one.

“Gentlemen,” he greeted. I jerked around to see Noct and the other two. Ignis’ eyes were narrow. Ardyn’s hand hadn’t left my arm. “What a pleasant surprise.”

_Mmm that voice. I could get-_

_Do NOT finish that sentence!!_

Prompto groaned. “Told you he’d be waiting.”

“With my imperial friends, no less,” Ardyn added slyly. “But fear not - I’ll put in a good word.”

His eyes glanced at me.

“Well, come along, then.”

He escorted us through the- was it a swamp? Anyway, he led us through the water. The trees provided pleasant shade. I slowly began to calm down, my wrist slowing its movements slightly. Another fallen column caught my attention.

_Oooh… That one looks different!_

“Don’t stray too far!” Ardyn called out. “Lest you get left behind.”

I quickly rejoined them.

“And surely you’d rather avoid unnecessary scuffles, seeing as you’re now a quartet.”

Noctis bristled with irritation. I placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Oh dear. Touchy subject?”

_Please stop taunting my friends, you unnecessarily attractive… Uh…_

I couldn’t think of anything to add to that.

“One we won’t discuss with you,” Ignis warned.

“Then let’s discuss why you’re here,” Ardyn said. “Hmm… It can’t be archaeology-”

“Bet,” I quipped quietly. He gave me a sideways glance.

“-mythril, perhaps?”

“Yeah that too.” “This guy’s reading our thoughts!”

Prom and I stared at each other for a second.

“Only _she’s_ here for archaeology,” he explained. I clapped my hands twice in glee. This time Ardyn gave me a warm smile. “You know Costlemark? She went _crazy_ there!”

_“Noct_ went crazy there,” I muttered.

“Hey!” Noctis protested, giving me a slight shove. “You were the one going on about pediments and stone carvings.”

“Yeah and you _weren't!”_

“And that puts me at fault?”

“Yes!”

“How?”

“Alright, you two, that’s enough,” Ignis ordered. Ardyn chuckled.

“Mythril,” he repeated. “It’s a _precious_ resource, you see. We can’t let just _anyone_ get their hands on it.”

“But you’ll help us get ours on it, right?” Noct said melodramatically. Ardyn let out a comedic gasp.

“I never said that!”

I started giggling.

“Of _course_ you didn’t,” Prom said.

“Where is the fun in that?” Ardyn pondered. “I thought you’d rather dig it up yourselves.”

Noctis and I looked at each other. Another expedition into ancient ruins filled with daemons? Hmm… Maybe another day, thanks.

Beyond the fog emerged the silhouette of Steyliff Grove. It looked much different than Costlemark. Instead of a tower and Colosseum, it was one long, walled building. There weren’t as many columns and the outer walls were rather plain. I suspected the real decoration was within them.

“Fear not, I’ll be but a moment,” Ardyn said. A handful of soldiers were stationed around the area. Three of them guarded the entrance. One manned a small airship. Ardyn talked to the person in the middle of the entrance, a woman in complicated armor that resembled a dragon.

“A moment doing what?” Prompto sighed.

“Beats me,” Noct replied.

“All set!” Ardyn announced. “Go right ahead.”

We walked closer cautiously, creeping through the water.

“Alas the ever wary military-”

_!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! **Wordplay.**_

I was completely smitten now.

“I must prevail upon you to accept an escort. I’ve seen to everything.”

My friends went up to the woman at the entrance. She was being paid to escort us under the guise of doing “special training.” We were her new recruits. She eyed me with one eyebrow lifted.

“Don’t remember you at Fort Vaullery,” she said.

“I was… in detainment,” I put awkwardly. That just made her more confused. “They wouldn’t let me help out.”

She nodded.

“I trust you’ll be civil,” Ardyn said. “Commodore Aranea Highwind! I leave them to you.”

_Her name literally means spider. Huh._

Aranea told us we had to wait until sundown to go in. Just like Costlemark. Great. I prayed we wouldn’t get locked inside.

“So _______,” Prompto prompted. “Whatcha know about this place?”

_It’s my time to fucking shine._

“So the people of Solheim were all about fire, right?” I began. “Sol means sun, so it makes sense. Anyway, if that’s true, then they believed fire to be a symbol of life and energy. Naturally, water represented death and mortality. So this place here, Steyliff Grove, is a mausoleum they used to pay tribute to the dead at the Vesperpool.”

“Huh,” Prom said, shifting weight to one foot. “So we’re grave robbing. Cool.”

I laughed. “Think of it as ‘borrowing’ something.”

“Ah yes, ‘cause that makes it better.”

“Very impressive,” Ardyn’s voice was closer to me this time. A warm shiver ran up my spine. I spun around slowly. “My dear, if you don’t mind, would you accompany me for a stroll before I’m off on my way?”

“Oh, um,” I stopped. Noct was shaking his head in the corner of my vision.

_You can’t tell me what to do!_

“Sure?”

“Ah, splendid! We shan’t be long.”

_Shan’t._

The guys warned me to be careful. With a wave and nod, I followed Ardyn as he went back the way we came. He didn’t say anything until we came to an airship that had just landed to pick him up. Its door remained closed.

The air of jittery nervousness swiftly evolved into sudden fright as Ardyn whipped around and gripped my shoulders tightly.

_“What were you thinking?”_ he seethed, pulling me close.

“What-?”

_“Putting yourself in front of Ravus like that? Do you have **any** idea how worried I was?”_

_Oh, right. I almost forgot about that._

“You…” I paused, chest tingling slightly. “You were worried about me?”

His furious concern warped into shock at his own words. His hands instantly left me. He attempted to put up the facade again, a charming smile wavering on his lips. A moment passed. It fell.

He brought a hand to his forehead. “Of course I was. Why would I not be?”

“Ah… Um… Good ques- That’s a good question. That I don’t have an answer to.”

……

His silence worried _me._

“Um, Ardyn?”

“Hmm?”

“Is something wrong…? You seem… stressed.”

The sigh he released resulted in his shoulders falling, tension leaving them. Then he gazed up at the sky, a hopeless laugh escaping him.

“I just don’t understand,” he finally said. He brought eyes back to mine. A small, sad smile graced his face. It didn’t reach his eyes, which were duller now. He looked tired.

“Don’t understand what?” I asked. My head tilted right. He sighed and glanced to my left. The smile left.

“...Why can’t I keep up the mask around you?”

My eyes widened. That was not what I expected him to say. I was unable to think of a response. So he continued.

“When we first met I thought: ‘well, perhaps this is a fleeting feeling.’ But it wasn’t. It wasn’t fleeting at all. In fact, it only grew stronger, this… strain in my heart, in my soul. The longer I am away from you, the more restless I become. So I thought to take you with me, that maybe it would stop this _feeling_ I have.”

He paused, thinking he had said too much. I waited patiently. He stepped forward and his eyes met mine again.

“But I couldn’t do that to you. You were so fragile and delicate. Your own emotions overwhelmed you. Then I saw how _happy_ you were with your friends. How _stable_ they made you. I don’t seek to engage in combat with them just yet, so I let you be. But the tension worsened as I left, do you understand?”

His hands gently grasped my arms right above my elbows. I lifted them slightly. They hung awkwardly in the air. I nodded.

“I do,” I mumbled.

“And then you put yourself in front of one of the most dangerous men in the empire,” he growled. He exhaled forcefully. “You- I nearly had a heart attack when I came upon that scene. Do you have any idea how dangerous that was? How hurt you could’ve gotten? You could’ve _died!”_

“Please stop,” I whispered, shaking. His gaze softened. “I already heard enough from the guys.”

“My apologies…”

He was close enough now that I could rest my hands on his chest. So I did so slowly. His shirt was soft. He still smelled like cinnamon. Our gazes locked together. Everything else around us was at a standstill. All I could see was him. All I could feel was him. Nothing else mattered.

My eyes accidentally flicked down to his lips and back up. I had never been this close to somebody before. He gritted his teeth, confliction swirling round in the deep amber voids he called eyes. I didn’t think he’d reciprocate the action. But then his eyes dropped down and back.

A hand came up to my chin to keep my head in place. Something tickled my throat. I ignored it. Ardyn came nearer. Our breath mingled together. So close, so close.

His forehead met mine. My head tilted back slightly. The tickling became a scratch. I shoved it down. It resisted. Right when I closed my eyes, a pain shot up through my throat and I began to cough.

My frame doubled over a bit. I brought a hand to catch the liquid coming out in spurts. My throat was on fire. It ached and burned and each cough was scratching up the inside. Ardyn held me securely, watching with concern.

It finally stopped. That was the longest it had gone on, about half a minute. I looked down at my hand and blanched. My face drained of all color, eyes going wide. Blood was splattered over my palm. Not enough to cover it, but a decent sized spatter.

Ardyn grabbed the hand and inspected it. His skin paled a bit, too. He looked up at me with a stern and angry glare.

“When did this start?” he growled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO. CLOSE. THEY WERE SO. CLOSE. I didn’t _expect_ them to almost kiss they just went hey we like each other can we do this?  
> And I went _**no. not yet.**_  
>  So yeah


	23. Houston, I Have So Many Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader is told several things by several people that start to take a toll on her overall mood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ughhhfhfbtnskx I don’t know why it took me so long to write this one. I love Steyliff Grove, but Reader wasn’t cooperating and neither was my brain. I just got bored with all the filler stuff. So I’m really sorry if some parts aren’t as descriptive or seem rushed or whatever. I tried.  
> Also, if you guys are interested in the furthering of Noct and Reader’s sibling bond, the second story in this series focuses mostly on that character-wise. I make a few references to it in this chapter. The work itself isn’t complete yet, but a few heartfelt moments have already occurred~ So check it out if you want.

“I forbid you from going in the grove.”

Ardyn’s blood was absolutely boiling. It burned and seared through his skin, causing him to force down the Scourge that threatened to spill over his features. He could tell his facial expression scared her slightly, but she didn’t try to back away just yet. He needed to remain composed, as always. He couldn’t frighten her anymore than he already had.

“Wha- Huh? You can’t just do that! I have friends who need me and ruins to explore!”

After hesitantly explaining it had started maybe a week ago or so, give or take, Ardyn almost completely flipped. I wasn’t sure why he was so damn worried. I mean, yeah, coughing up blood is pretty serious, but… he seemed angrier at it than me standing up against Ravus. He didn’t let it show, exactly, but his eyes gleamed with a suppressed rage, ever present smirk replaced with an angry frown. His hands held my wrists, as if I’d flee the moment he let go.

He struggled to keep his voice down. “Darling, you are quite literally _killing_ yourself!”

“So?”

The word came out of my mouth before I had time to stop it. My eyes lowered. Ardyn looked a bit shocked. His lips pressed together. I continued to feel ashamed at that revelation.

“You shouldn’t say such things,” he said quietly.

“I know,” I muttered, gaze downcast. “I didn’t mean to. It just came out.”

He sighed, turning back to the airship behind him. He was running late already. This infuriating woman before him was driving him mad. The gods were going to rue the day they cast him from their grace. He would tear them all limb from limb, showing no mercy or remorse or any sign of weakness or stopping, for daring to do such a thing to another innocent person let alone to the woman to whom his very soul seemed to be connected. He would do it for her, if not for himself. And if not for… No, he shouldn’t think of that now.

“I won’t be able to stop you,” he said. He gripped my arms a bit tighter, “but please. Do not heal anyone unless you absolutely have to. You’ll only hurt yourself more. Do I make myself clear?”

“...You know you don’t have any authority over me, right?”

His eyes narrowed. Now was not the time for games. “Yes, I do know. I know very well. But I won’t be here to help you if you act so recklessly again.”

_Don’t tell him about Costlemark Don’t tell him about Costlemark Don’t tell him about Costlemark_

“Okay,” I said. “That was my plan anyway. But please remember I don’t like to be told what to do.”

Exhale. Fine, so that was how she was going to be. He’d just have to keep a closer eye on her. Maybe check in with a few of his ‘friends’ to make sure she took care of herself. She’d be leaving for Altissia soon after exploring the ruins. ...But he couldn’t part with her like this. His darkened soul was burning wildy and screaming at him to leave her with a _real_ impression of his unwanted feelings, but that would be far too much. Not to mention her friends would surely hear... So what could he do…?

Ardyn’s hands came up to cup the sides of my head. He leaned in and rested his lips on my forehead. A few seconds of blood rushing to my cheeks and he pulled away.

“Please be careful,” he whispered. I nodded. Silently, I stood and watched as the gate to his airship opened and he stepped inside. With a dramatic bow, he was off. My eyes followed the ship as it left.

There was no telling how long I kept standing there. The tug in my chest got worse and worse as the aircraft flew away. Something was yanking on the invisible string. What is this? I’d never felt this way before. And he felt it too.

_And we were so close. So close to…_

Jesus fucking Christ, was I going to kiss him?! I was going to let him kiss me! What the hell was wrong with me? We’d only met a handful of times now. Was I really that desperate?

_I don’t think it’s desperate. I mean, don’t people usually kiss on the third or fourth date?_

_THIS WASN’T A DATE YOU LUMPY WALNUT_

My entire body drooped. I really needed to get a grip.

The walk back seemed a lot shorter. The guys were standing around, waiting. They hurried over when they saw me.

“Are you okay?” “He didn’t do anything to you did he?”

Prompto and Noctis looked ready to kick his ass if he had. Ignis just looked… Disappointed. His arms were crossed and he was frowning. I felt guilty for some reason.

“What happened?” he asked, more calmly than the other two.

“Just…” I scrambled for words. “A conversation.”

Iggy was not amused. Neither were Noct or Prom.

“He was just making sure I was okay after the whole Ravus incident, okay? Calm down.”

“You want us to _calm down?”_ Noct growled. “When you were _alone_ with that creep? He could’ve kidnapped you! Or worse-!”

“He wouldn’t! He told me himself-”

“And you _trust_ him.”

“Yes! I do. Is that a crime?”

“He’s the _imperial chancellor.”_

“I know!! ...I know. And it makes me feel so guilty I don’t know what to do with myself. But I like him. And I can’t help it. Okay? I just… can’t…”

My gaze faded downward. They must hate me. Why wouldn’t they? I was getting involved with one of their biggest enemies. How could I live with myself?

I wrapped my arms around myself. A foot was tapping in its shoe.

“Noct,” Ignis said sadly, “I don’t believe there’s anything we can do.”

“‘Nothing we can do’?” he repeated angrily. “We can stop her from seeing him. _That’s_ what we should do!”

My head shot up to look at him. There was no way he could mean that, right?

“Noct…” I trailed. “You don’t- You can’t just-”

“Oh I can,” he said, eyes narrowed. “I don’t want you anywhere near that guy. He’s bad news.”

“But I-!”

“But nothing! We’ve almost lost you several times already. You mean too much to me, to all of us. I’m not losing you to him.”

My eyes and the corners of my mouth fell. My heart dropped. I suddenly felt empty.

“It’s not like I’m leaving you…” I whispered. A cold wind blew, tossing my hair everywhere. I didn’t bother fixing it. Prompto and Ignis didn’t look as furious and protective as Noctis, but they didn’t say anything. “Do you guys… feel the same way?”

“Oh, um,” Prom stuttered. “I don’t… Uh…”

“He makes you happy,” Ignis observed. “Whenever we speak of him, you get undeniably excited. But given our situation and the circumstances at hand, that could very well be dangerous in the future.”

Noctis nodded affirmingly.

_Ignis, I trusted you._

“I…” My mind faltered. “I can’t just- That doesn’t… I… You really think… I’d betray you for him?”

Ignis’ green eyes widened. “I didn’t say _that._ You’re much too kind for that. What I meant was that it’s a weakness, one he could exploit-”

“He wouldn’t.”

“You don’t know that,” Noct cut in.

“Yes I do! You don’t know what he told me, and it’s private. I know you don’t trust him, but can you at least trust _me?”_

The three of them had a round of exchanging glances and unspoken words. I waited silently as they convened. My head stayed down. The water we stood in was murky and swirling with mud. I looked up when one of them cleared their throat.

Noct’s words were like a dagger to the heart.

“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “I don’t know if we can trust you.”

 

An hour into the late afternoon found me sitting cross-legged on a fallen block of stone. It wasn’t too far away from Steyliff, so I hoped it was good enough that no one would come find me for awhile.

My fingers traced the carvings in the rock. Cuneiform. That’s the language they reminded me of. Except these looked a little different, but that was to be expected. The markings provided a slight distraction from my whirlwind emotions. I hadn’t been able to stop sighing since I sat down.

My thoughts went from the walk with Ardyn to the confrontation afterwards and back again. It continuously looped, causing the weight of overwhelming sadness and emptiness to situate itself on my chest and mind.

The small kiss Ardyn had given me made me feel so warm inside. The tiniest of smiles would form when I thought of it. Not to mention he had admitted to caring for me and feeling the same way I did. He was trying so hard to keep his distance but he just couldn’t. That gave me a lightheaded feeling I couldn’t exactly identify. Elation? Happiness? I wasn’t sure.

But then the image of Prompto’s conflicted heartbrokenness, Noctis’ fury, and Ignis’ disappointment shredded the image into miniscule pieces I couldn’t find or put back together. A small lump formed in my throat. I ignored it. Was I losing the only friends I had in this world? Gladio would probably look betrayed had he been here. I couldn’t deal with all four of them like that at once. It hurt. My chest felt tight and my stomach twisted.

For once no tears were formed. They stayed dormant. Instead a hollow emptiness filled in any remaining space I had left in me. I hated this feeling: the feeling of nothing. The feeling of near numbness. My line of sight hadn’t left the same spot for who knows how long.

Small splashes alerted me to someone’s approach. I prayed to God no one would talk to me. I couldn’t deal with that right now.

_Please go away. Leave me alone. I don’t wanna talk. Just leave me alone._

Whoever it was hopped up beside me. From the sigh they breathed, I deduced it was Noctis. Great. The last person I wanted to see. He didn’t say anything, just sat there with me for a while. There’s no telling how long it had been before someone broke the silence.

“Did you need something?” I asked monotonously. He shifted a bit.

“Not… really,” he answered quietly. “I just… realized I might’ve been too harsh on you earlier.”

I nodded and didn’t reply.

“Um, are you… alright?”

This time my shoulder responded for me with a shrug. The weight of guilt pressed down on my chest along with the depression.

“I just feel… awful,” I said. “I just… I don’t mean to- ugh…”

He waited patiently as I rehearsed and mulled over the right way to respond.

“I’m sorry I am the way that I am. That I have this weird attraction to the enemy, or one of them, at least. And I’m sorry for making you worry so much about me. I’m still trying to figure this out.”

The sky flushed pink and orange as the sun called out its last goodbye for the day. Soon we’d have to get going.

“You don’t…” Noct swallowed. “You don’t have to apologize. People can’t help the way they feel or what they’re like. To an extent, at least. And… When I said we couldn’t trust you-”

The invisible knife sharply pierced my heart again.

“-I don’t mean that we think you’d betray us or choose him over something else or whatever. We’ve known you long enough, I think, to know you’ll try to find a balance. So what I really mean is… I don’t trust you with yourself.”

_Oh. That makes sense. I think._

“I know you want to help us fight the empire. Or at the very least stick with us in general. Throwing yourself in front of Ravus solidified that. But you… kinda have these… self-destructive tendencies that could get you really hurt. And I’m afraid if you spend more time with that guy, something really bad might happen.”

“Oh,” was my very eloquent answer. “I… I see… I was really worried you hated me.”

“What? No, we could never hate you. I know you said you feel this… _connection_ to Ardyn or something, but… We feel a connection to you, too. Or at least I do. It’s like…”

“An old friend who got lost?”

“Yeah, exactly. And you remember that whole Materia/Spiritus thing and that guy we fought you really liked?”

“Yeah?”

“I meant it. I don’t want to let you guys down, after all you’ve done for me. And if anything happened to you, any of you, I feel like that’d be the worst that could happen.”

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I smiled,the muscles in my lips aching a bit. Turning finally to Noctis, I said, “I definitely know what you mean.”

 

When Noct and I had come walking to the front together looking to be on good terms once again, Ignis and Prompto looked a bit surprised but relieved. We gathered around the entrance to the ruins. Our guide left two of her men to guard the outside and off we went.

Aranea seemed pretty laid back for a leader of the empire’s air force. However, she was also the kind of person who wanted to get things done as quickly as possible so she could get back to whatever it was she did on the side. So that combined with me rushing all over the place to look at even the tiniest details in the stone did not make for the greatest start to our little expedition.

“The hell are you going?” she asked me, a tad annoyed. I had gone the opposite direction once we reached the bottom of the stairs leading down. They had left while my curiosity went right. Noctis steered me to the right direction.

“Don’t wander off,” he said gently. “We don’t want you to get hurt again.”

“Right,” I said. “Sorry.”

“Uh, _______?” Prompto asked nervously. He lagged behind a bit as we continued. “Any reason the lights are still on?”

“Uhh… Nothing I can think of. Costlemark was a little the same, remember?”

“R-right… Fun times.”

“This place has seen better days,” Ignis commented. Just like in the tower before, Steyliff Grove was littered and filled with rubble. Some of it still crumbled and fell, causing us to jump a little. Just like in Costlemark (the two were quite similar), lots of rooms held daemons. Thankfully it wasn’t just Noct and me this time round.

A door led to a long open hallway. We were on the second floor, looking down. I rushed to the railing. On the first floor the ground was covered with stone tiles. The parts in the corners where the tiles were no more had grass growing on them. Light poured in from above, illuminating the area in a way that… wait a minute…

“Beautiful beyond words,” Ignis breathed. My eyes were cast upward. I pointed at what I saw. Prompto gasped.

The underwater pattern moving about the floor wasn’t just a cool effect. A flowing layer of water was suspended in the air. It seemed to act as the ceiling for this place. It pulsed and moved like gentle waves. Light swam in like a neverending tide, making the whole place look like we were submerged. I quickly got a picture. I knew someone who would absolutely _adore_ this.

“Woah,” Aranea observed. “If that’s the water’s surface…”

“Wait, what?” Prompto was completely flabbergasted. “Does this mean we’re underwater?”

“Nothin’ like this in Costlemark,” Noct said. “Just endless staircases and spiral slopes downward.”

“The control room was pretty cool,” I reminded him.

“Yeah, but it was nothing compared to this.”

“True.”

“Woah,” Prompto said, “there’s even fish.”

“Where?”

“Company!” Aranea called out as we walked onto an open balcony. More Grimer clones popped out. These ones were orange and red. I froze them all solid. Noctis smashed them into pieces. The others finished off some skeletons. So far it was going so much faster than with just two of us.

My happiness ended when we came to a collapsed floor. The only way across was a tiny ledge that did not look like it could support all of us. Noctis and Aranea scooched across first. Then Ignis decided to go last to make sure Prompto and I were alright. I gestured for him to go before me.

“Nuh uh,” Prompto said. “Not until you go. Ladies first.”

“Prompto,” I said sweetly.

“Yeah?”

“Please go across so I don’t panic. Or I will gladly _kill you.”_

Prompto went and then I did. The fall looked terrifying. My heart was racing faster than a cheetah. Unfortunate that I had to look down to see where I was putting my feet. One foot almost had me slipping down, but Noct and Prom helped me the rest of the way.

There was a room with a series of broken walkways. Some looked stable enough to walk on so Noctis went first, stepping carefully. The floor immediately collapsed under him. A horde of daemons, much _larger_ daemons, popped up and attacked.

“_______, stay up there!” Noctis called out. Ignis, Aranea, and a reluctant Prompto jumped down to join the fight. I helped where I could from above. Some small shocks of electricity zapped here and a few bursts of flames burned there. But they did most of the work. An iron giant was felled by Noct and Aranea. I was instructed to wait while they found their way back up. The floors floated back into place. I gulped and pressed my back against a wall, sliding down to sit.

When they finally returned, I was holding a ball of fire in my hands for light and warmth. It flickered out when they appeared. My mouth opened to ask if anyone was hurt, but Ardyn’s words rang clear in my head.

_“Do not heal anyone unless you absolutely have to. You’ll only hurt yourself more. Do I make myself clear?”_

Sighing, I followed the group as it descended. My depressed mood from earlier was returning. Lagging behind wasn’t something I wanted, but it happened. Noctis and Aranea were at the front, leading us down a small flight of stairs. Prompto was right on their heels. Ignis glanced back to see me wandering almost aimlessly, hands in my jacket pockets.

“Everything alright?” he asked, waiting for me to catch up. I nodded. He sensed I wasn’t up for talking and let me be. Bless you, Ignis. Instead he asked Aranea a question, “What does the empire seek here?”

“Specimens,” she answered. “and we’re stuck harvesting them.”

“Specimens?” Prompto asked.

“Daemons.”

A fight interrupted the conversation. More skeletons attacked and a reaper fought against Noct and Iggy. I held my sword for protection and lit any open enemy aflame. It rounded up quickly.

“Turns out the empire makes weapons out of them.”

“Weapons?”

“Yeah. I’m sure you’ve seen your share by now. ...Something not quite right with the empire lately.”

“It’s not just lately,” Noctis said.

“True. Maybe it’s time I left.”

We continued to creep along. Another staircase led us to another floor down. Noctis paved the way for us down a narrow corridor.

“What would you do?” Prompto asked curiously. “If you left the army.”

“Whatever I want,” she answered. Fair enough. “I was a mercenary once. Maybe I’ll round up my men and hunt daemons for cash?”

“That’s a… a heck of a plan.”

One fight later and the talk continued.

“What about the empire strikes you as ‘not quite right’?” Ignis questioned.

“The emperor and new high commander,” Aranea told us, “for starters. And then there’s that charmer of a chancellor. I really can’t stand that guy.”

Noctis rolled his eyes as he saw me perk up. Even Ignis looked a tad amused. Our guide glanced at me with a raised eyebrow.

“Don’t know what he wants from you, though. I’d be careful if I were you.”

“Told you!” Prompto nudged md playfully. It was my turn to roll my eyes.

“How many times do I have to tell you it’s fine,” I sighed. “He’s _nice_ to me.”

“That’s why you should be worried,” Aranea said. “It probably means he wants something from you.”

“Don’t know what. I don’t hold much of value besides good friendships.”

“Might be what he’s after.”

“But he never asks.”

“Hmm… Just stay vigilant.”

After fighting our way across a bridge, we went down even more stairs to find corridors and hallways intersecting with each other. There were so many rooms, none of us knew where to start first.

“Which way?”

“Whichever way leads to the treasure,” Noctis said.

“If only we knew,” Ignis muttered.

“Wish we had a map,” I said.

“Guess we bumble on,” Prompto said.

“Keep the bumbling to a minimum,” Ignis told him. Their banter started to pull me from the funk I was in. Noctis had me come to the front.

“I know I said I didn’t trust you with yourself,” he said, “but we could really use your instincts right now.”

I hummed and slowly observed all the walls around me. We had just exited a circular room. A dead end lied to the right. So I walked left. We passed a small room and came to another hallway. I looked right. Another wall. Left again. We continued until we came to yet another corridor crossing. Prompto came up and looked left.

“Hey, what’s that?” he said, heading to a metal plate in the ground. My heart leaped.

“NO!” “DON’T!”

Noct’s and my exclamations caused our blonde friend to jump. He whipped around.

“No need to be so loud about it,” he said, raising his hands in defense.

“Sorry,” Noct said. “That’s what got us trapped in Costlemark. Probably shouldn’t go near it.”

“Just in case,” Ignis added. I nodded.

“You guys got locked in one of these places?” Aranea asked.

“Just us.” Noctis gestured to me and himself.

“I almost died,” I said matter-of-factly, as if it didn’t really matter. She glanced over me.

“You’re tougher than you look,” she complimented. I smiled.

One right and one left later and we came into an small inner chamber. Elemental magic rocks waited to be emptied. I happily sucked up the ice. Noctis split the other two with me.

“So what exactly is the deal with you, anyway?” Aranea asked me casually. “I thought only the royal family could do magic.”

“______ is a special case,” Ignis explained. “If you can keep a secret…”

“To the grave.”

“She’s not from this world. The gods brought her here for some purpose we have yet to discover.”

_Wow, Iggy, you are great at character depth perception if you trust her with this._

“She can heal people!” Prompto added excitedly. He calmed slightly. “Only it hurts her, so we don’t use it often.”

“Huh.” Did anything faze this woman? “Yeah, I’d _definitely_ keep her out of the empire’s hands if I were you. Does the _chancellor_ know this?”

“Unfortunately.” Ignis gave me a disapproving stare. I withered under his gaze. Aranea was now looking at me like I was some sort of puzzle she hadn’t been able to solve in a while.

“...Knew something wasn’t right with him… Again, be careful with that guy. He’s got the whole nation practically under his control. Or at least it would seem that way. Only thing he can’t control is the emperor himself. But if he genuinely likes you… That’s either a blessing or the worst curse I could imagine.”

That did not help the current conflict with my friends. My teeth gritted, very done expression unfaltering. Noctis changed our course of topic and led us out into the main chamber.

“Oh, spacious,” Prompto observed. “There’s so gonna be a big nasty here.”

“Game design in a nutshell,” I quipped.

On the bridge at the other end of the hall was an enormous, yellow, red, and blue creature. It growled as we walked closer, weapons in hand. It spread its wings wide and glided over us to land behind. Stretching an abnormally long neck, it roared.

“What is _that?”_ I shouted, running to the side of the room.

“A monster!” Prompto called back.

“A quetzalcoatl, I believe!” Ignis answered.

“Quetzalcoatl?!” I screeched. “What is the _Aztec god of the sun_ doing here?!”

“The what?” Noctis shouted. He swung a greatsword at it. I aimed for a lightning bolt to strike it. It interrupted me with its own flashes of electricity. There goes that plan.

“Nevermind!”

“It’s weak to ice,” Ignis instructed. “Use that to your advantage!”

“How do you even _know_ this?”

I waited until it had landed on the ground to swerve by and light up the ground with frost and ice. A fleeting thought glanced by and as the others physically attacked it, I summoned a hoard of ice spikes up from the floor. It shrieked. My body drooped. That took a lot out of me.

Noctis and Aranea were able to strike the beast as it flew. The former’s warping skills were very impressive. Bright blue flashes gleamed all around the air. The color clashed with the softer blue of the water above.

The water above. There was water above us. Ice is made from water. It is literally just froze water. I hid in a corner and tried to think up some plan to use it. Maybe if it got high enough, I could make more spikes? Could my magic reach that altitude? There was only one way to try.

A giant staircase lied at the end of the room. When the quetzalcoatl was preoccupied on the other side, I dashed forward. It was a long stretch to the stairs, but I made it. Or rather, I almost did. The beast flew over my head and aimed an electric attack.

I don’t know what’s more wrong with me: the fact that I reached out to _grab_ the lightning or the fact that it hardly bothered me at all. Anyway, I did that stupid thing. I thought I would die. And I probably would have if it wasn’t for the sheer amount of determination I had in that moment to _not_ die. The crackling blue energy shot toward me. Like a lightning rod, my hand lifted up -

-and _absorbed_ the electricity.

Even the beast looked shocked. An overflow of raw power flooded through me. My whole body was sparking blue and twitching with energy. My veins acted as circuits and my heart and soul were conductors.It dawned on me that perhaps this was what Ramuh had blessed me with when his own lightning rushed into my body at the imperial base the Regalia was at.

“_-______?” Noctis sounded _incredibly_ worried.

I couldn’t attack the quetzalcoatl with lightning. But I could charge up the ice I made. The beast shrieked and roared. It landed and bounced back up to fly and rush me. Noctis and Aranea were quick to act. They leaped up after it. I stood still, concentrating. When the creature reached a height I could reach, I raised my arm up again and brought it back down, my fingers making claws.

The water above temporarily froze. Large, fat stalactites of electrically charged ice jutted out from the surface underneath. The quetzalcoatl was pierced just enough to fall back down. The tips of the spikes were now dyed red.

The energy quickly rushed out of me as soon as it had come. The last thing I saw was Ignis and Prompto sprinting to catch me as I collapsed. Noct landed the killing blow.

The beast was dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YEAH IDK WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED???? READER SHOULD _**NOT**_ BE THIS OP. BUT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, IT’S LIKE SHE CAN ACT AS A SUMMON FOR NOCT SO THAT’S KINDA FUNNY  
> Is it too much? Should I change it? If I don’t, then all she needs is a blessing from Ifrit and she might as well be the goddess of magic.
> 
> Lol no that’s not gonna happen (the goddess part). That would be just... that would be overkill. But I digress.  
> We’re gettin’ to ALTISSIA next, baby! You know what that means~ ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  
> Finally we can focus on the budding romance between Ardyn and his dearest Reader


	24. In marī apertō

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our lovely quintet _finally_ reaches Altissia!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE DID IIIIIIIIITTT

I woke several times while I was unconscious. The first was when we reached fresh air again. Ignis was carrying me, I think. The second time we were in some sort of chamber. The guys later told me Aranea gave them a lift to Lestallum, so that must be her airship. The third time I awoke, I was more aware. I heard Aranea and the guys talking before they carried me away. I fell asleep again halfway to the Leville.

When I reached permanent consciousness, my head started spinning. The anxiety I felt caused a contraction in my chest. Where was I? What was going on? Why do I feel so scared? My whole body was shaking.

“Noct?” I croaked. I couldn’t move. Or at least, not very well. “Noctis? Ignis? Anyone?”

_Mom? Dad? Someone please answer me!_

I tried sitting up. My arms ached and protested loudly. I didn’t get very far and promptly collapsed. My eyes burned a bit as crying ensued.

_Where am I? What happened? Why can’t I move?_

A door opened. I jumped and frantically squirmed to see who it was.

“Ignis…”

He hurried over. “You’re awake. Thank the gods.”

“I can’t- why can’t I move? Where am I? What’s going on?”

“Shh, shh, shh. You’re a bit delirious right now. The enormous amount of magical energy you used rendered your body in a panicked yet unconscious state. We’re not sure _why,_ but magic has its own state of mind.”

So I was… I was just unconscious for a while. How long had it been? Where was I? My heart jumped into overdrive and my breathing became rapid.

“Please don’t tell me I’m in a hospital,” I sobbed. _“Please_ don’t tell me I’m in a hospital.”

“No, no, no, you’re not in a hospital. We’re in the Leville. You’re perfectly safe.”

I began to calm down slightly. My mind was so disoriented I couldn’t make sense of my surroundings. The blue wallpaper merged with the strips of wood between each stripe. The lights were so bright. I closed my eyes for a moment.

“Where’s Noctis?” I asked. “And Prompto?”

“Noct is assisting the lady who will treat the mythril for us. The power plant is overrun with daemons, so he’s hunting them down for her. Prompto is waiting for him finish. I came back to check on you. It’s good to see you’re doing a bit better.”

Okay. I could live with that. But I really wanted in that moment was a hug. For some reason. I’m not much of a hugger, but my mind demanded comfort. I turned on my side, facing Ignis. He gave me a pillow from the other bed when I asked. I cuddled it, holding on tightly.

“So tired…” I slurred. My eyelids struggled to stay open. Ignis told me to rest. He’d be here if I needed anything. With a few words of thanks, I fell asleep.

It was surprising to Gladiolus in the morning. Noctis and I trudged down to breakfast and he was sitting there chatting with Iggy and Prom. Noct told me he was the other hunter in the power plant. After gathering our own food, we joined the others at the table. It was nice to have all five of us in one place again. Gladio had gained another scar, this one on his forehead. He said he’d tell us about it later.

“So I heard you became a living electric outlet,” he said to me playfully. I grinned slightly, still sleepy.

“Yep,” I said. “And I’m still exhausted.”

“As we suspected,” Ignis said. “You’ll have plenty of time to rest on the way back, and on the trip to Altissia.”

“You guys got the thing?” I asked, forgetting the name for a second. “The, uh, the mythril.”

Noct nodded. “It’s all ready to go.”

We were also all ready to go. Finally, after a month of waiting and dangerous adventures, we were getting to go to Altissia. I was excited to see it. It sounded like an absolutely gorgeous place. Not to mention Lady Lunafreya was there, too. Although, I felt a pang of sadness and longing at the thought of having to leave my friends.

The drive back seemed to fly by. Gladio told us about his journey to the Tempering Grounds to challenge someone names Gilgamesh. That name was familiar and I recalled hearing of an epic about him back home. We all found that to be interesting if not a bit eerie how similar our worlds are. Once we reached Cape Caem, everyone buzzed with anticipation. We climbed to the top of the hill. The lighthouse rested on the cliff comfortably. The early afternoon sun made everything brighter. I had a feeling this was the last we’d see of anything remotely peaceful for some time.

When the elevator reached the bottom, where the hidden harbor was, Talcott told us that the marshal had come to see us off. We filed down the walkway and into the small room off the dock. Iris stood on the stairs, saying goodbye to each of us.

“This is really it then,” I said. She smiled sadly.

“Yeah,” she said, “but it was really nice to meet you. Thanks for looking after the guys when I couldn’t.”

It was my turn to smile. “And I’ll keep doing it as long as I can.”

I allowed her a hug. At the bottom of the stairs, Cor stood from his place on the couch to address Noctis. Everyone else was gathering round. I went down to join them all.

“Something I gotta get off my chest,” Cor admitted. His arms were folded.

“What’s that?” Noct asked. Cor wouldn’t meet his eyes for moment.

“I’m sorry. Sorry I wasn’t there for your father.”

_Oh dear. This is a personal matter. Should I pretend I’m not listening?_

“I swore an oath to protect the king, but… I wasn’t strong enough to uphold it.

Silence. No one said a word. Noctis didn’t know how to respond. The mention of his father brought the memory of Insomnia’s fall. The air stilled. All was quiet.

“Ain’t nothin’ nobody could’ve done to stop what happened.” Cid came walking in, carrying a wrench.

“Yeah,” Noct said quietly. “I realize that.”

Cid sat down on the couch in front of us. “But you need to realize just what you mean to the boys by your side.”

Noct scoffed slightly. “I do.”

“Even if they can’t solve your problems, you can’t hide what’s goin’ on from ‘em. It hurts like hell.”

Cid leaned forward.

“Remember - those ain’t your bodyguards, they’re your brothers. Trust in ‘em, always.”

There was no stopping the soft smile on my face. My friends were like a little family. It was so touching.

I watched in a corner as everyone said their goodbyes. My heart felt like it was being stretched for some reason. Was it sentiment? Or was something bad going to happen? It almost felt like a small rift was being formed. There was a chance I’d be leaving for home soon. I had come to care for these people in such a short time. I almost didn’t want to go.

“I hope you’re doing all right.”

My head turned to see Cor standing next to me.

“Oh, uh, yeah,” I said awkwardly. “Um, thanks…?”

He nodded. “Even if you can’t find a way a home…”

His gaze turned to where the others had gathered.

“...I don’t think they’ll abandon you.”

I looked over to where Prompto was teasing an annoyed Noctis.

“Yeah,” I said, grinning. “I know they won’t.”

Before we left, Prompto got a picture of all of us together. I offered to take it for him, but he pulled me to the rest of the group. Tears of a melancholy yet joyful sort threatened to spill over. I was sad to be leaving, but my heart warmed at being accepted. Maybe Prompto would me take a copy of that picture with me.

Soon the boat was sailing away out of the cape. Talcott and Iris waved as we set out onto the open sea.

The first thing did was curl up on one of the seats and try to nap. I had half a mind to ask to take a detour to Angelgard so I could have a short “chat” with Ramuh about whatever the hell he did to me. But I didn’t. I just found a pillow in the storage space under the cushions and lied down to sleep.

My dreams were mostly nonsensical. Bits of the conversation drifted into them. Prompto was excited to be on the ocean. Cid inquired about my adjustment here. A few chocobos ran by here and there. The little flock of them from forever ago returned. One black one surrounded by five yellows. It seemed incomplete somehow.

Then the image my brain conjured up dissolved. I could hear rain falling and a muffled voice speaking. There was nothing to see, however. The voice cleared the longer I stayed there.

“-tary, standing in the way, while you rush off to slay the Hydraean for your poor sister’s sake.”

The noise of someone turning on pavement sounded.

“I know the price of the covenant.”

The speech ended. My mind drifted back into consciousness. I kept my eyes closed. My pillow had been elevated slightly. I snuggled into it.

Prompto spoke from behind.

“What are the odds the empire might crash our pool party with Leviathan?”

My body jerked slightly at the name. Days of watching _Supernatural_ told me to stay away from those black goopy freaks. I wasn’t sure I could cut someone’s head off. A hand rested on my arm lightly. Right. Leviathan was the goddess of the sea here. No Dick Roman to worry about.

“Consider it a guarantee,” Ignis said. “They _felled a god_ to prevent Noct was receiving his blessing, and they’ll do so again.”

“But we beat ‘em to the big guy - thanks to our friendly ‘guide’.”

Gladio hummed. “Never know which way that one’s gonna move next.”

“The chancellor has an agenda all his own,” Ignis growled slightly. “Noct, is ______ asleep?”

“I think so,” Noct’s voice came from above me. Was my head on his lap? “Why?”

“He helps sometimes,” Prompto said, trying to be optimistic. “Like when he called off the army and let us escape?”

_Thank you, Prompto._

“But he was still a creep about it,” Noctis protested.

_Hey._

“Well it feels like he’s only helping us because he wants something,” Gladio said. “I just don’t know what…”

“Maybe ______ knows,” Prom suggested. I pretended to stretch my legs out in my “sleep.”

“I doubt he’d tell her _that_ much,” Ignis told him. “Though it worries me how much she likes him.”

“So she admitted it?” Gladio asked.

“Not exactly, but it’s so obvious even Aranea noticed something between them. And she even warned her against associating herself with him.”

“And what’d she say?”

“She trusts him,” Noct spat. “Can you believe that?”

“I believe it is more of a circumstantial trust, Noct,” Ignis explained. “She trusts him to care for her and keep her safe when we can’t.”

“She said he never asks about us,” Prompto chipped in.

“Which means his motivation is still in the dark. That, or he’s keeping her out of his plans.”

“I hate to be that guy, but doesn’t that mean he cares for her, too?” Gladio thought aloud. “Not that that’s a good thing.”

“Aranea said it’s either a blessing,” Noctis quoted, “or the worst curse she could think of. I tried to tell _______ not to go near him-”

“You said you’d intentionally keep me away from him,” I muttered, still not opening my eyes.

“Wha- hey! It’s for your own safety.”

“How long have you been awake?” Ignis asked.

“Since Prom asked about pool parties with Leviathan.”

“You sneaky little bitch.” I knew Noct meant it as a tease.

“You’re the bitch.”

“At least I’m not the one in love with a politician.”

“Noct, you are _literally_ the _king_ of an entire nation.”

“...Touché.”

“As Gladio said,” Ignis continued, “his actions are not motivated by altruism, but by self-interest.”

“Or ______-interest,” Prompto teased.

“Don’t make me come over there,” I warned.

“And when he does come to our aid,” Ignis went on, “I see only condescension in his eyes.”

“Unless he’s looking at ______,” Gladio said. “Then he’s just soft. Anyone else notice that?”

A chorus of affirmations kissed the sky. I hid my face in my pillow.

“Shhupf upf,” my muffled voice said.

Cid cut in to ask about the king’s ring. Noct said he’d get it when we arrived in Altissia. I had a feeling it’d be a lot harder to get to than that. Cid told Noctis that his dad had considered the ring his heritage. They had traveled together like Noct and his friends before. Then a falling out happened and they never talked face to face again.

_There goes my heart._

The oceans of Eos were a deep elegant blue. Small rocky islands dotted the surface here and there. The smell of salt never left the air. I made sure to get a few pictures so I wouldn’t forget. I’d never traveled the sea like this before.

The path to Altissia lied between two cliffs. It was a thin strip held in by two walls in the water on either side of us. Then it opened as a bridge over a large pool of water surrounded by waterfalls. I gasped and ran to the side of the boat to get a better look. An entry way lied a ways away. Two stone angels flanked the side of the arch-like gate. When we got through security with a really old permit Cid had kept, I skipped to the other side of the boat.

The vaulted ceiling above let the seaside air in. Tall arches lined the way to the port. Small red and purple banners hung from above. My mouth hung open in a wide, amazed smile. The Solheim ruins were beautiful, but this was completely new. And it was absolutely gorgeous.

“They call it the ‘Walls of Water’,” Gladio said when we finally stepped down onto the dock, “but ain’t just the waterfalls - it’s the whole damn city.”

“Which is why we can’t traverse the town by conventional means,” Ignis explained. “We’ll have to rely on gondolas instead.”

“Gondolas?” The biggest smile remained on my face. “So this place is like Venice!”

“What’s Venice?” Prompto asked.

“A city in Italy known for its gondolas. I’ve always wanted to go there!”

Noctis led us through the port gate. A man stopped and asked the purpose of our visit. Noct paused, unsure of what to say. Ignis told him we were here to study the culinary arts. That got us through.

“You wanna check out Weskham’s place?” Gladio asked.

“Yeah,” Prompto said. “Let’s all go to Maagho.”

“Who’s Weskham?” I asked.

“One of my dad’s old friends, Noctis answered. “He stayed back when they came here. Opened up his own restaurant.”

“Oh, that’s cool!”

We began our journey around the city. The architecture confused me at first. Was it French? Or Italian? Maybe if I could find a cathedral, I could make a decision.

“So this place is like if France and Italy had a child,” I said to myself.

Near some steps were some women talking about an exhibition window showing Lady Lunafreya’s wedding dress. We decided to let Noct go see it before finding Maagho. Several times we got lost, but luckily people were talking about it all over the city. We climbed stairs and traveled across a few portico bridges. Finally, on street, we found it. The sun was starting to set by then. The evening glow lit up the display in a rather romantic way. We let Noct have his space to view the dress.

A picture of Luna had been placed in the window. She was a pretty woman with light blonde hair and a soft, friendly face. She did look a bit like Ravus. He must be the eldest. Which means only girls can be the Oracle. Interesting.

To get to Maagho’s, we took a gondola. The ride was spectacular. I felt like I was riding around Venice as we weaved through the buildings. The gentle swishing of the water calmed my general anxiety. The sea breeze blowing in was refreshing.

Weskham’s restaurant was a fancy place situated on a platform surrounded by water. The only way to get to it was by gondola. Crystalline lights hung from the rafters and the bar was the centerpiece. A dark skinned man with graying hair manned it. He greeted us as we approached. Cid had told him we’d be coming.

“My word, you’ve grown, little prince,” he said. Noct hummed awkwardly. “Ah, but of course. You were only a babe at the time.”

I giggled slightly. There’s always that one person who says something like that.

We all sat down in a row at the bar. Ignis, me, Noctis, Prompto, Gladio. Weskham seemed happy to see us all. I was glad we didn’t have to explain my presence for once.

“So this is your maiden visit,” Weskham said. “Enjoying it so far? You doubtless have many questions, so ask away.”

Noctis asked about the empire first. I didn’t blame him. It _was_ a pretty concerning factor. I just hoped no one would bother us.

“There’s no need to jump at every shadow. Just be aware that the terms of our independence grant the empire free rein to come and go as they please.”

It was a one sided arrangement. Everything they did required Niflheim’s permission. Apparently Luna shouldn’t have been to appear before the public. Weskham didn’t know how the government got that to happen.

“So you see lots of Niffs around here?” Noct asked.

“We do,” our host answered. “Sometimes even at my place.”

A flash of red flashed in the corner of my eye. I glanced behind me. Nothing. Weird. A cold wind blew through the restaurant. As Weskham told us about Ravus showing up, I summoned the scarf I had gotten forever ago from Minnie’s shop. I wrapped it around my neck. Much better.

“That woman was right,” Iggy told me. “That scarf does look nice on you.”

I felt my cheeks flush warmly. “It’s colder here.”

Prompto peeked around Noct to see.

“Hey, he’s right!” he said. “Now you and Ardyn match!”

“Prompto…” I growled. My scarf was a deeper and redder color. It reminded me of Mikasa’s from Attack on Titan. “You were just commenting on Aranea’s outfit.”

“Heyyyy no fair.”

“You brought it upon yourself.”

Noctis asked Leviathan as Weskham chuckled at our antics. The government was going to open up the altar of Tidemother. They were stockpiling emergency provisions. So they were allowing the summoning of a havoc wreaking sea serpent? I understood Noct’s blessings were important, but… that seemed a bit much.

“Ah my dear Camelia,” Weskham announced as we prepared to leave to find a place to stay. “It’s been awhile.”

“I heard about your distinguished guests,” a woman’s voice came from my left. I turned to see a person who looked oddly familiar.

_What the fuck… Is that Hillary Clinton?_

“Gentlemen, lady,” she spoke to us cordially, “I won’t waste your time. My name is Camelia Claustra.”

_Whatever you say, Alternate Hillary Clinton._

“First Secretary of the Accordo Protectorate,” Ignis disclosed. I shot him a look that said “seriously?”

You know this woman’s name and who she is but the name ‘Ardyn’ doesn’t ring a bell?

“You should know,” Ms. Claustra continued, “we have Lady Lunafreya in our care. And… the empire demands we surrender her.”

“What?” Noctis hissed.

“Yet I am loathe to acquiesce unless we stand to profit. Hence I’ve come to discuss terms… with the King of Lucis.”

 _I’m glad_ somebody _is recognizing his new title._

“If you’ve a mind to talk, come to my estate.”

She departed. Weskham assured us her heart was in the right place. I doubted that a bit, but he lived here, not us. Might as well trust him.

The sun had been long gone by the time we reached the Leville. I guessed it was a chain hotel. At least we could count on there being one when we needed it. I sat and waited as the guys planned the rooming situation and then got said rooms. My body was slumping over slightly. I was still exhausted from the quetzalcoatl fight.

“So, uh,” Noct got my attention, “Iris mentioned you might need some space, so… We got you your own room.”

“What?” I stood quickly. “You didn’t have to do that! Why?”

“You’ve been traveling with four guys,” Gladio reasoned. “Four very busy guys.”

“Not to mention your obvious introversion,” Ignis said. “There wasn’t much we could do in Lucis, but since these might be your last days on Eos…”

“We figured we’d give you some space,” Noct finished. “To… think and stuff.”

I didn’t know what else to do except hug him. Prompto found it adorable and joined in. Then Gladio did. And then Ignis. Dammit. I felt like crying again.

We got lost more trying to find the First Secretary’s estate. I had offered to stay back in case it’d help things go more smoothly, but they dragged me along anyway. The sooner I could see Luna, the better. As the terms were being discussed, I hung in the background. The soldiers looked French. It was off putting with the strong Italian vibe I got from the majority of the city.

I didn’t pay much attention to what they said. Sure, I support my friends all that I can, but political matters are not my thing. What I did hear, though, was stuff about keeping the citizens safe when Leviathan was awoken. Again, I didn’t understand why they’d let this happen.

“Assign three of your own for the evacuation,” Ms. Claustra said. “Whom you choose is up to you. The rite will be initiated a week and a half from now. You have that time to decide.”

The talk ended with a handshake. When Noctis turned to lead us out, his eyes caught mine and he looked back.

“Uh, hold on,” he said. “Um, if- if I may…”

“Yes, what is it?”

“My friend here really needs to speak with Luna. It’s urgent. Do you think she’d… be able to see her? Just for a moment?”

“Hmm… Is it an emergency?”

Noct and I exchanged a glance. I shrugged.

“Uh, not exactly,” he answered.

“Then I am afraid not. I’m sure you understand we cannot risk anything happening to the Oracle.”

“R-right. Thanks anyway.”

All the tension from being brought into the spotlight dropped my shoulders as we stepped out into the sunlight. I didn’t like being in there. My every move had been watched by the guards. It was unbelievably uncomfortable.

“Sorry,” Noct said gently. “I’m sure you can see Luna after the rite.”

I nodded. “I have more time to spend with you guys.”

We spent the rest of the day touring the city. Prompto was determined to get me to buy any sort of souvenir that wasn’t a book. I got dragged into store by store by store. Noct eventually got tired of all the rushing around. Nothing was bought except lunch and a small snack in the afternoon. But then I spotted a gelato stand right after said snack. Excitement prevailed. It took some convincing, but Prompto and I managed to beg Ignis to let us all get some.

“We _are_ here to ‘study the culinary arts’,” I mentioned. He couldn’t argue with that. Mint chip, here I come.

We arrived back near the port in the late afternoon. The gelato was amazing and I would be getting more later. So good.

“So Noct,” Prompto said, jumping up ahead to join him. “Wanna check out that arena we heard about?”

“That did sound pretty cool,” Gladio added.

“Sure,” Noct said, “why not?”

We reached the Leville. There was a gondola nearby they could ride to find the one that transported them to the arena. I stopped at the hotel.

“Do… Do you guys mind if I sit this one out?” I asked. “Maybe explore a bit more? I don’t really want to see animals pitted against each other for nothing more than entertainment…”

“Not at all,” Noctis told me. “Go ahead. Just be careful. We’ve got our phones if you need anything.”

“Try not to get lost,” Ignis advised. “We’re not sure when we’ll be back.”

“Thanks for trusting me with this, at least,” I laughed slightly. As they boarded a gondola, I climbed the stairs to my room. I stayed there for a rather long time. They were right. I really did need the time alone. Spending hours upon hours with four people for a month drained me dry. I just daydreamed the time away. When the sky grew dark and the city lit up, I decided it best to find something to eat or Ignis would scold me for not taking care of myself. They had texted me they were still at the arena. It was enjoyable to them, so I was glad they were happy.

Altissia was a marvel at night. Was there anything in this place that wasn’t astounding? I climbed stairs and then more stairs. Long stretches of streets over woven other streets had me traveling through alleys and bridges. I came to a square with a small street performer band. I watched for a bit. The jazz they played was intricate and I found myself walking to beat when I spotted some more stairs to climb. Up and up it went until a little open area came into sight. It was very high up. A potted tree and some flowers decorated the terrace. A dark fence kept it all inside.

“Wow…” I breathed. The view from up there was… Was… Words couldn’t describe it. The waterfalls could seen in the dark, the lights of the city sparkling from down below. People bustled about on the streets, looking small and insignificant.

The stars greeted me politely. They apologized for mocking me before. I smiled up at them. How was Earth, I asked.

It’s faring alright without you, they said.

Can you tell me what’s going on? Does anyone miss me? Have they even noticed I’ve gone?

There was no reply. I glanced back down.

Are my parents at least doing okay?

We’re sure they are, the stars assured me.

Can you show me to be sure?

We cannot, they denied.

Could they show me the way home?

...Did I even _want_ to go home?

_Do you want to go home?_

_I… I think so. I don’t think I could stay for very long without eventually wishing I could return._

_But here you have a **purpose.** Here you can **help people.** You don’t have to work behind the scenes anymore!_

_But I like working behind the scenes! And I can help people at home, too._

_Not the same way you can here. You’re not cut out to be a doctor. You’re too squeamish for that._

_I’m sure there’s lots of things to help with._

_But your friends here understand you._

_So do the ones at home! I love them!_

_You love these ones, too! They’re like your brothers! How could you just leave Noct after all you’ve been through together?_

“I…” I whispered, fighting down the dry, tight feeling at the top of my throat. “I don’t know… if I can…”

The pull in my chest began again, but it wasn’t for Ardyn. A sudden longing to be with Noct and Iggy and Prom and Glad yanked on my heart. I should have really been with them right then. We worked so well together. We were a family.

_But I miss home so much. I want to see Pippi and Laura again. I want to see my parents and my cat. I want to wake up in my room to my Loki plushie and cuddle the hell out of it. I want to watch the Avengers again and Supernatural, too. I want to read Lord of the Rings and watch the Hobbit. I want to see pictures of my childhood so I don’t forget._

_So I don’t forget._

_So I don’t… forget…_

“When the light is running low,” I sang softly, “And the shadows start to grow. And the places that you know… seem like fantasy.”

A breeze blew by, rustling the leaves of the plants.

“There’s a light inside your soul, that’s still shining in the cold, with the truth… the promise in our hearts… ...Don’t forget… I’m with you in… the dark…”

“Lovely view, isn’t it?”

I almost jumped out of my skin. The voice was _right behind me._ Panting, I slowly shifted around, playing with the ends of my scarf. The person standing there gave me a gentle smirk as I blushed.

“Hello, my dear.”

“Oh, hi, Ardyn…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *insert lenny face here*


	25. Noster amor scintillā conflāt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ardyn and dearest Reader finally act on their feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “Our love ignites with a spark”
> 
> Heeheehee you guessed it! We’re FINALLY HERE! This chapter is 100% Ardyn and Reader  
> Who’s ready for some SOFT ARDYN?

_Why do I have the sudden urge to hug him?_

Ardyn stood before me, looking very pleased with himself. I supposed my reaction to his sudden appearance amused him. My mind blanked. What do I say? What had he asked? Wait, what was he doing here?

“What are you doing here?” I blurted out, nervousness reaching shaky levels. He pretended to look hurt.

“Well, if you prefer me to keep my distance…” he said, taking a step back.

“No!” My hands vivaciously waved the thought away. “No, I didn’t mean- I just- I didn’t expect to see you here. Wouldn’t someone recognize you?”

He chuckled. “‘Twas a jest, dearest, no need to be so nervous. And I doubt anyone would recognize me seeing as your dear friends didn’t. Where are they, anyhow?”

“Uh, not here.”

“I understand you don’t want to tell me. I merely mean to make sure we aren’t interrupted.”

“I-Interrupted…?”

“I feel just _awful_ for leaving you on such an horrid note last we met. You have been taking care of yourself, yes?”

I found myself nodding despite the memory of the quetzalcoatl coming up.

“Very good. I admit I thought you’d be extra audacious just to spite me. My watches over you were almost canceled in retaliation. But I have been concerned over your… condition.”

“I haven’t coughed since, so that’s good, I think?”

His turn to nod.

“You’ve been watching me? That’s… kinda creepy.”

My head leaned back slightly.

“My heart is in the right place, I assure you,” he said honestly, bringing a hand to his chest. I noticed he wasn’t wearing his gloves this time around.

“Noctis doesn’t… want me near you,” I said quietly. His gaze was cast down for a moment.

“As I would expect. I don’t blame him for not trusting me. Were I in his position, I would not trust me, either.

“Well, that’s reassuring.”

We laughed. My heart and chest felt so light now that he was there. The airy feeling was one I didn’t want to leave behind. The tug in both our souls brought him closer. My head was tilting back to look up at him. Height had always been a thing I was attracted to, but damn. He was nearly a foot taller than me. My eyes averted themselves so I could think properly.

“So, uh, what brings you here?”

“Hmm…” He raised a finger to trail down my cheek, bringing my gaze back to him. “You might have to be a tad specific, my dear. Do you mean here in the city or here by your side?”

“Uh, um, b-both… both, I guess.”

He leaned forward. His arms came around to trap me against the fence. His warmth was very much welcome. The cinnamon scent had never been stronger. Combined with those golden eyes of his and that deep accented voice, he was positively intoxicating. My body subconsciously curved up against his. He was so close. I decided I liked having him like this.

“For the city,” he clarified lowly. The gravelly quality of his tone sent little sparks and tremors shuddering through me, “I have business to attend to concerning the covenant to be formed. As for being here with you, well, I don’t think I need a reason other than the pull in my very soul. We left things quite a bit unfinished back in Lucis, didn’t we?”

“W-we… We did?”

“Oh, yes. I recall a moment being interrupted by the gods’ poor planning. Do you not remember the same? Or did I simply make it all up in an attempt to feel as close to you then as I do right now?”

I couldn't help my eyes dropping to lips. Oh yeah, I definitely remembered. My heart beat wildly in my chest. It fluttered and flickered about, screaming at me to get a move on. With shallow breath, I answered him.

“No, it, uh,” I stuttered awkwardly, “it definitely happened. Sure did. Yep.”

The low chuckle he gave me caused heat to shoot straight to places I didn’t want to think about.

“Well, I am so very glad you feel the same,” he said. His right hand came up to tilt my chin up. “Shall we try again?”

I was breathing a bit more heavily. Kissing him. Was that something I wanted? Did I really want to do something my friends might not forgive me for? Would they ever understand? Probably not. But in that moment, did I care? Also probably not. I nodded slowly.

“Close your eyes, dear.”

I did so happily. I felt him lean in. His nose brushed mine. My body was alive, ready to take whatever he would give. I could feel his breath mix with mine. He hesitated a moment. I waited patiently. It seemed like forever. My hands came up to rest on his arms. That sealed our fates.

His lips met mine.

 

It all honesty I had no idea what I was doing. Back home, I had never really received this kind of attention from anyone - not that I cared all that much; back home, I was too invested in fictional people - so the inexperience made me pause. Luckily Ardyn liked to take the lead. His lips moved against mine. I slowly mimicked him. I didn’t know it was possible to feel this way. You read things about it and hear people talk about the first kiss, but with the right person, there really isn’t a way to describe it. I had felt light-hearted and happy around Ardyn before, and he around me, though he wouldn’t admit it outright. But this… I couldn’t really feel anything or think of anything other than him.

It ended far too quickly. When he pulled away, I couldn’t open my eyes for a few seconds. When they opened, the endless pool of amber filled my vision. His forehead rested against mine. Oxygen was nice but I _really_ wanted to do that again.

“I take it…” he spoke softly, a bit out of breath like me, “you’ve never done this before…?”

“Is it… that obvious?”

He grinned. “Just a bit.”

Normally I would’ve felt bad about it, thought I’d been horrible. I was sure that was the case here. But something in my chest bubbled up and I started giggling. My head tilted forward, almost meeting the spot where his neck met his chest. His own laugh joined in.

“I’m sorry,” I said. The joyful smile stretched so wide the corners of my mouth started to hurt. I brought my gaze back up at him. “It’s just… It’s been a weird day.”

“Well I do hope I’ve made it better,” he said warmly. One of his hands still gripped the railing behind me. I hoped my eyes were sparkling as much as his were.

“I didn’t say it was _bad._ Just kinda weird.”

“I take it you weren’t able to speak to the Oracle?”

“Nope. Then Prompto dragged me around everywhere to look for souvenirs before I… Um…”

Oh. Right. I might be leaving soon. My happy smile faltered. The connection between our souls grew tighter. It pulled me closer to him. We remained silent. He understood what I meant.

“How long do you have?” he asked, his right hand cupped my cheek. Its thumb rubbed back and forth. Smile now gone, my gaze drifted down.

“Noct said I could talk to her after the rite, which is a week and a half from now. Don’t tell.”

“I won’t.”

I believed him. He probably already knew, anyway.

“But…” I swallowed. “I don’t even know… if I want to leave.”

The thought brought back my prior mood. My throat felt constricted. I couldn’t meet his eyes. It felt like a horrible confession. Not wanting to see my family again - which I did - and not wanting to see home again - which I also did. It hurt. I was torn. How could I do that? Why was my brain doing this to me?

Two warm arms brought me in to him. I returned the embrace, slipping my own arms under his coat. His chin rested on my head. One hand combed its fingers through my hair. The memory of a night under a streetlamp flashed by like lightning. A cold wind howled, causing me to shiver. His hold tightened.

“Oh, the things you do to me,” he muttered. “Conflicting my heart as much as your own.”

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to ruin the… yeah…”

“You ruined nothing, dearest. It was an inevitable conversation.”

I snuggled closer. “I don’t know how to choose.”

“Sometimes we don’t always have a choice. You may very well not be able to return.”

“But what if I can? What do I do? Is there a way for me to go back and forth?”

“Possibly. We’ll have to wait and see.”

_I feel like I’ve known you for a thousand years._

I shyly peered up at him. A soft smile met my vision. There was nothing to do but watch. And wait.

And wait.

And wait…

My shot up. Still unsure of what I was doing, I just aimed for his lips. Somehow I managed to be successful. He eagerly returned the kiss, bringing a hand up to guide me. We both chased that light-hearted feeling. Then he pulled away only to kiss me again.

This had been delayed for _far_ too long.

My hands found his neck, slipping around it and tugging him closer. The warmth from his body was very welcome in the chilly seaside air. Usually I enjoy the cold, but being near him was too addicting. Our souls were singing a wondrous harmony, pulsing and dancing joyously between us. Cloud nine was a glorious sensation. I loved the way his lips moved against mine. It was a slow tide of softness edged with a hint of urgency. My arms came to be placed fully around him.

When we parted a second time to breathe, I reached to plant just one more small kiss upon his lips. The loss of breath was unwelcome. However, I wasn’t sure if I was ready for anything that might occur should we continue.

“Just how occupied are your friends at the moment?” he asked breathlessly. I fought to find my thoughts.

“Uh… They were at an arena of some sort, I think. Why?”

“I take it you haven’t eaten yet, then.”

“Not yet, no.”

He gave me a charming smile. My heart pulsed with a feathery flutter.

“Then please,” he said, bringing my arms from around his neck down to hold my hands between us, “permit me to take you to dinner.”

A dorky grin came over me. Closing my eyes for a moment to get ahold of myself, I nodded.

 “Wonderful! Right this way, then.”

 

“Are you sure no one recognizes you?”

Ardyn and I were getting curious stares from people as we traversed the streets of Altissia.

“I mean, it’s one thing for Noct and his friends to not notice but… isn’t this place under imperial rule?”

I huddled closer, keeping my head down. I hadn’t expected to feel this uncomfortable walking down a narrow avenue. The burning holes in me came from all the looks we were getting. I was growing warmer in a most unwelcome way.

“Hmm…” He thought for a moment. He looked down at me. “Does it bother you?”

My eyes widened. “No! No, I just- Agh, forget it, I shouldn’t be making a big deal out of nothing.”

The ground looked nice. He stopped in his tracks and turned to face me, concerned.

“Really, dearest, what’s got you so bothered?”

I sagged a bit under the weight of anxious guilt. Slowly, I peered out at a couple people side-eyeing us and whispering. Hot embarrassment swept over me in waves. I moved toward him to hide.

“Um, I just…” I grasped around my mind for the right words. “It’s nothing against you, I just… don’t really like… attracting attention…”

Understanding lit up in his eyes. He remembered a point in the far past when he, too, didn’t want to attract unwanted attention. Hers was for an entirely different reason, however. But he understood it nevertheless. Poor thing was wracked with anxious nerves that caused her to rethink and replay her every action, thought, and feeling. He wondered how she could live with such an affliction.

“All you have to do is tell me,” he said gently. He tilted her head up. The hesitant fear in her gaze jerked at his heartstrings. “You needn’t be afraid of speaking to me of such matters. I don’t think there’s one thing I could ever judge you for.”

A sigh of great relief rolled through my chest. Somehow he knew how my brain worked. It was by the far one of the best of the many blessings I had received on this journey. Ardyn certainly had his flaws, but… who was I kidding? _How_ had I gotten so lucky?

“Thank you…” I murmured gratefully. He smiled at me softly.

_Hey, heart, if you could stop doing flip flops in my chest, that’d be great._

_Heart: NO._

_Well, I tried._

Ardyn led me through a series of alleys and secret roads that contained few people. I assumed he knew the city well if he was going out of his way to make sure I felt at ease. The lights in that part of the city weren’t too bright. The slight darkness relaxed me a bit. Sure light is nice, but darkness is comforting, good at hiding things. No one would notice me here. Except Ardyn. But he was okay and I like him.

Soon we happened upon a place that looked oddly familiar.

“Is that an Olive Garden?” I muttered to myself. My date - _date. holy shit. what the fuck this is actually happening_ \- glanced at me with a raised brow.

_If they don’t have the breadsticks, I will **riot.**_

It was indeed an Olive Garden. Well, it wasn’t _called_ Olive Garden, but it had the grape vine décor and the Italian feel. Ignis was a wonderful cook and I love him for who he is, but…

_Finally. Some food that’s **familiar.**_

“Yep, it’s an Olive Garden,” I quipped to myself. At this point, Ardyn was learning to accept the weird comments I made. It was my way of connecting to the world around me. “And I haven’t been to one of those in ages.”

Ardyn laughed. “Well, I’m certainly glad you’re pleased, my dear.”

_**They had the breadsticks.** _

The woman sitting across from Ardyn had completely captured his heart. How? He wasn’t sure. It had just happened. Now, there he was, watching her try a breadstick and immediately tearing up a bit at the taste. Beforehand, he had given her a bit of space to take in her surroundings. The restaurant he had chosen seemed familiar to her. That relieved him greatly. Her anxiety caused himself to be a little nervous, too.

“This is so surreal,” I muttered to myself. Ardyn chuckled across from me. I wasn’t sure about the seating. Being right in front of him made me feel scrutinized and like I was being interrogated at a work interview. I tried to shove those feelings down.

“So tell me,” he asked after we had ordered, “just _what_ have you been up to on your little journey?”

My elbow now rested on the table, hand holding my head. I must’ve looked really exasperated because it caused him to laugh again.

“Where do I even start?” I said. Seriously, so much had happened so far. Do I just tell him the whole story?

_Whatever you do, don’t tell him how many times you’ve almost died._

“I believe it was…” he thought for a second, “Prompto, yes? He mentioned you had visited Costlemark Tower.”

_FUCK._

“Uhhh…” I grasped at mental straws. “Yeeesss…?”

_Just stop he must already know something happened with the way you’re acting._

“It was indeed a tower, but… kind of a reverse tower?” I explained awkwardly. “Like it went down instead of up.”

“I’m afraid I’ve only seen it once. And I do recall you bickering with your friend over architecture.”

I giggled slightly. “Yeah, Noct got tired of all the stone carving mentions. Then he threatened to lock me in there and then we _accidentally_ got locked in- Uh.”

_SHIT._

“The outside looks like the Colosseum in Italy, which… The architecture here in Altissia looks Italian and French. Like they had a child. Especially the gondolas. It’s like Venice. Well, I’ve been there before but uh… Oh… I’ll just, uh…”

I realized I had been rambling a bit. Or I was about to begin rambling. But when I looked up at Ardyn, he had a soft, amused smile on his face paired with shining eyes. My heart decided that was a good time to learn ballet.

“Um, I had just taken an architecture class before I came here so… Yeah.”

“How fascinating. You certainly have a passion for history.”

A nerdy smile forced its way up. I nodded like the dork I am.

“I was also taking Latin,” I said, nerdy smile morphing into a reminiscent grin. “Just the second beginner’s class but I was good at it. Kind of. Sort of.”

“Hmm, the more I learn about you, the more I realize just how much our worlds have in common.”

“Yeah, it’s weird. I thought I’d have to rely on my friends, but… I really just have to get used to the different wildlife and magic.”

“Speaking of which,” he leaned forward over the table, “you haven’t healed anyone since last we spoke, have you?”

I tried not to roll my eyes, I really did. “No. As much as I wanted to.”

“Don’t you roll those eyes at me, dear. I understand more than you know the toll it takes to continue doing such a thing. I’m merely concerned about your wellbeing.”

“I know. And I really appreciate, I do.”

I looked down at the table.

“It just feels nice to be able to help people for once. Back home, I wasn’t really… anyone, to be honest. I was just your average person with Asperger’s Syndrome and way too much time their hands.”

“I understand all too well. There are always too many people in need and never enough hands to help.”

“Is… that why you became chancellor?”

He chuckled a bit, shaking his head. “Not quite. That’s a story for another time, I’m afraid.”

I narrowed my eyes in annoyance.

“Are you _ever_ going to tell me anything you?” I sighed. He hummed, seemingly in thought for a moment.

“Of course,” he replied gently. “But I’m afraid there are many secrets to be kept concerning myself and I’d rather you not get caught up in them all just yet. You probably wouldn’t believe me, anyway.”

“You aren’t immortal, are you?” It was a joke. I was laughing as I said it. However, a strained smile was my answer from him. He never gave me a verbal response.

_Oookay, that was weird. Maybe he IS immortal? What does that mean for me…?_

“Ah, um, aaanyway…”

“You _are_ enjoying time with your friends, yes?”

“Oh, um, y-yeah! They’re… They’re like my brothers. Especially Noct. Ignis swears we’re related somehow.”

Ardyn gritted his teeth. “Does he now?”

“Yep. We’re both picky eaters and don’t like getting up early. And we argue like siblings, so there’s that. I don’t have any back home, so… it’s unusual but nice, I suppose. He’s super overprotective, though.”

“Hmm… That _has_ transpired over his bloodline, hasn’t it?”

“Uh, what?”

“Hm? Oh, nothing, nothing. Think nothing of it.”

_Oh my god he’s immortal._

_Ha, no. But seriously… Maybe I should change the topic so he stops acting so weird…? Or is this just what he’s like?_

The food came at that moment with perfect timing. And as I had stated many times over, it was just like Olive Garden. Italian food, I will never stop loving you.

Ardyn seemed to have recovered from his odd commenting mood when we left. I had no idea where we were going now, I just followed happily along. I still felt a bit nervous, but he was comfortable to be around. I felt energized rather than drained. His soft looks continued as he observed my contentment. I was hanging onto his arm, but he didn’t seem to mind.

“Oh, darling, I meant to ask…”

I made a questioning sound.

“That song you were singing when I found you… Would you mind telling me what it was?”

“Oh, right! It’s called ‘Don’t Forget.’ It’s from a video game called Deltarune. It plays in the ending credits of the demo since all that was released was chapter one. But I can be patient and wait for it to be finished. If I can’t get home, maybe I’ll ask Shiva if she can get me a copy.”

“Why the Glacian in particular?”

“...I dunno, she’s my favorite, I guess?”

He laughed. “Don’t let the other gods hear you say that. Though I must say, I’m partial to the Infernian, myself.”

I looked at him in wonder. Weren’t Ifrit and Shiva in love? Just like we are? The millionth smile of the night lit up. How cute.

Our small conversations continued as we walked through the streets of Altissia. I began to recognize my surroundings. He was walking me back to the Leville. Disappointment rested in my chest, but I knew all good things must come to an end.

My heart nearly stopped when I heard Prompto’s voice talking loudly to Noctis nearby. Ardyn stopped and decided where we were was far enough.

“I suppose this is where we part ways,” he said with a sad smile. I nodded.

“Parting is such sweet sorrow,” I quoted. He grinned down at me with sparkling eyes. “But uh, I can see you again, right?”

He laughed. “Of course, my dear. I wouldn't dream of otherwise.”

He slipped a piece of paper in my hand and winked.

“I’d dispose of that once you’ve entered it if I were you. Wouldn’t want your friends to grow suspicious.”

I tucked it away in my jacket pocket.

“Will do,” I said, feeling like a secret agent. “So, um…”

He tilted my chin up for a goodbye kiss. I gladly accepted. When we parted, he let me hug him.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, “for everything.”

“No need to thank me,” he murmured back. I forced myself to extract myself from his embrace. “I will see you soon, my dearest. That, I can promise you.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

With a final wave and a longing look, I rushed off after my friends.

“Hey, guys! Wait up!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If Ardyn seems OOC well then too bad. Personally I think he’d be a lot softer and quieter (like he was two thousand years ago) with someone he loves. So now we have this~  
> I really hope it met your expectations 😊 There’s more to come~  
> But don’t worry: Ardyn’s dark side is yet to be seen


	26. Just Follow My Moves And Sneak Around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader joins Ardyn for their second date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’ve hit two milestones!!! (for me at least) 2000 hits and 100k WORDS. I don’t think _any_ of my stories have ever been that long and we’re still going.  
> I sincerely thank all of you so much for your support. It means the world to me. I was terrified to start posting a longer story but you’ve all helped quell a lot of my fears and I cannot thank you enough. I love you all 😊  
> Now without further ado, let’s get into this!

**Day 1 of Mission: Dating Start!**

I wasn’t able to see Ardyn the next day. The guys were going to take the boat out to go see something Weskham had told them about. Some sort of lesser god of fishing. And of course, Noctis was ecstatic. I, on the other hand, was constantly daydreaming and replaying the events of the previous night.

“Uh, _______, you okay?” Prompto asked as Noct drove us out of the harbor. I jerked up from my thoughts.

“What?” I asked. Blink, blink.

“You just… had this smile on your face.”

“What, I can’t smile?”

“I didn’t say that! It’s just that you usually don’t, uh, show much emotion when you’re spacing out…?”

Oh. Oops.

“I just thought of a meme,” I lied, trying not to think of the several kisses I had received from Ardyn.

“Another one?” Gladio asked.

“What’s this one?” Noct asked from the front.

“Anyone have anything I can throw?” I inquired. My smile widened into a mischievous smirk. Prompto held up a can of a drink he had finished earlier. I wasn’t sure about throwing it in the ocean of all places, but maybe when we stopped, we could retrieve before something tried to snack on it. “Perfect, actually. I’ll show you when we get… wherever we’re going.”

The lesser god’s name was Bismarck. Why they named him after the capital of North Dakota, I don’t know. What I do know is that they decided to follow some _seagulls_ to find him. I thought that was… well, not the most _efficient_ way to do it. But those were the instructions they received.

Noctis circled around small islands, weaving between them until we found the seagulls again. I still thought it was a waste of time. As I sat on the seat furthest to the back, I checked my phone out of boredom. One message greeted me.

 

 **Coffee Bean:** How is your little fishing expedition going?

 _Me:_ we’re following seagulls

 _Me:_ seagulls.

 _Me:_ gulls of the sea

 _Me:_ A specific type of gull that lives near the water that is three percent salt and generally borders continents

 _Me:_ ocean birds

 **Coffee Bean:** Yes, you have reiterated that several times by now.

 _Me:_ twas a meme

 **Coffee Bean:** ...I’m afraid I’ve heard of the term before.

 _Me:_ lol that’s okay I didn’t expect you to

 

“Oh!” Prompto called out. “I see them! Over there!”

In a space near a larger island, the water teemed with fish. The flock of birds circled us overhead. Noctis stopped the dock and weighed anchor. Prompto and I rushed over to the front of the boat. I’d never seen so many fish in one natural place (I had seen many an aquarium). We all watched in amazement as a large mass broke the water’s surface.

“Woah, look at the size of that thing,” Gladio said.

“A divine presence indeed,” Ignis added.

“He’s really here!” Noctis said.

“And he’s enormous!” Prompto exclaimed. “Like, gi-normous!”

“Uhhh…” I squinted, making sure I was seeing this right. I’d never been whale watching, but… This didn’t look like a deity worthy beast. I was expecting, like, a sea monster or something.

“Get a load of this, Noct,” Gladio pointed out. “There’s fish everywhere.”

“Easy to see why he received the anglers’ apotheosis,” Ignis said.

“Well, guess we gotta pay our respects, too!” Noct declared.

“Um, I hate to bring down the mood,” I said, snapping a picture of the whale, “but you know that’s a _narwhal,_ right?”

Four faces turned toward me. I shrunk back a little

“A what?” Gladio asked.

“A narwhal?” I repeated. “Y’know, unicorn-style whale? You do have whales, right?”

I got blank stares.

“Here and there,” Ignis answered. “There aren’t too many of them.”

“Huh…” I said, feeling a bit awkward.

“You have more of these where you’re from?” Noct asked with wide, excited eyes.

_Wow, he must actually really love fishing._

“Well, yeah,” I told him. “I mean, not _everywhere,_ but it’s not like they’re unheard of or anything.”

“How much ocean does your planet have?” Gladio asked.

“Earth is approximately seventy percent water, most of it ocean. We got lotsa whales and fish and stuff. Although… we know more about space than we do about the bottoms of the deepest seas.”

“Why?” Prompto questioned. Noctis was getting his fishing gear out. I dramatically looked up at the sky.

“NASA’s urge to leave the planet grows ever stronger.”

Noctis fished for a _while._ After Bismarck had finished feeding and swam away, I had gone back to the seats and sprawled out. To pass the time, I did various things on my phone. The Notes app had been home to several accounts of our travels for awhile now. There was a color by number game to keep me from growing too bored. Pinterest was, unfortunately, not working, so I just used their internet for memes and funny posts. Oh, and I texted Ardyn. That, too.

 

 _Me:_ so you guys don’t have narwhals?

 _Me:_ or any whales, for that matter

 **Coffee Bean:** A what?

 _Me:_ [insert picture of Bismarck]

 **Coffee Bean:** Ah, you mean the “fishing god.” We do, of course, have whales, but not many.

 _Me:_ It’s

 _Me:_ It’s just a narwhal

 _Me:_ Pretty cool

 _Me:_ but like

 _Me:_ still

 **Coffee Bean:** How cute that you still stutter even through cellular devices.

 _Me:_ >/////< it’s how I talk so why change it

 **Coffee Bean:** A very valid point, my dear.

He had already gotten used to the blushing emojis.

 _Me:_ Noct is still fishing

 _Me:_ He’s a prince, right

 _Me:_ why does he like fishing of all things

 _Me:_ I’m too scared to ask

 **Coffee Bean:** It is a bit strange…

 _Me:_ Although

 _Me:_ In the words of Dean Winchester

 _Me:_ “It’s like yoga except I still get to kill something”

 _Me:_ although I don’t think Noct likes killing things all that much

 _Me:_ unless it’s in a video game

 _Me:_ Ignis’ll do something with the fish though. He likes cooking, as much as he denies it

 

The haul was huge. I had no idea what they were planning to do with all the fish Noct caught. Maybe sell it to a vendor or something…? Would they even take it? The guys moved the bucketed fish to somewhere below deck so the smell wouldn't suffocated us. I just watched.

“Sure you’re a king, Noct?” I asked. “Fishing seems to be your calling.”

“Ha, I wish,” he called back from the captain’s chair, “almost.”

“Wait!” Prompto shouted. “________ never showed us the meme!”

We gathered at the bow. I instructed Prompto on what to say and do. When he was ready, we began.

“_______, want some?” he recited, handing me his empty drink can. I took it and pretended to look inside.

“This bitch empty!” I exclaimed. I pulled my arm back and launched the can into the water, as far as I could throw it. “YEET!”

This became a recurring joke. That’s how much they liked it. Sometimes you could hear Noct say it before he warped.

The ride back Altissia seemed a lot shorter than coming out. Noctis had no problem finding the water bridge leading in. I kept my seat as we rolled along.

 

 **Coffee Bean:** Do you have any plans for the evening, my dear?

 _Me:_ Hmmmmmmmmm

 _Me:_ Hold on lemme ask in a not suspicious way

 

“Are you guys going back to that arena tonight?” I asked. Prompto tried looking over my shoulder at my phone screen. I snapped a bite at him. He jerked back.

“Probably,” Noct said. “Why?”

“Just wanted to know in case my plan to do nothing changed.”

“I do believe they had a few special beasts on display tonight,” Ignis said.

“Like what?” Prompto asked.

“Hmm, I think there was a griffin on the advertisement in the entrance hall.”

“Definitely, then,” Noctis decided. “Stayin’ back then?”

“Yep,” I said. “I’ll probably wander around more. And try not to get lost.”

“Gotcha.”

 

 _Me:_ Nope

 _Me:_ the arena seems to have them pretty occupied

 **Coffee Bean:** I’m not surprised. Several of my subordinates around your age quite like it as well.

 _Me:_ subordinates

 _Me:_ I keep forgetting you help run a country

 _Me:_ Er, multiple countries…?

 **Coffee Bean:** How sweet. Let’s keep it that way, shall we?

 _Me:_ lol sure

 _Me:_ do you… not like your job, or something like that?

 _Me:_ Or am I reading too much into that

 **Coffee Bean:** I certainly wasn’t born for imperial rule, I’ll say that. But I do have my reasons for taking position within the government’s rankings.

 _Me:_ will I ever learn these reasons…?

 **Coffee Bean:** Of course. You’ll have to be a bit patient, I’m afraid.

 _Me:_ Okay. I can do that

 _Me:_ I think

 

We pulled into the Altissian harbor. Noctis carefully lined the boat up with the dock.

 

 **Coffee Bean:** Would you mind telling me when your friends have departed?

 _Me:_ Sure thing

 _Me:_ maybe right after this

 _Me:_ we just pulled into the harbor

 _Me:_ so I have no idea how long we’ll be

 

The guys ended up relaxing for a couple hours at the hotel. I joined them for a round of King’s Knight (which I was getting better at) and attempted some Lucian card games. Luckily, I’m a fast learner. It came down to me and Noct.

“I swear if you have the ace of hearts-!” His voice strained.

I struggled to hide my smirk and shrugged. He laid down a three of diamonds and picked a card from the stack. I picked up his three and put down a jack of clubs. The remaining three grinned at his groan.

“It’s almost like watching a game of chess,” Ignis surmised humorously.

“A less boring chess,” Prompto said.

“Chess can actually be quite interesting given the skill level of the two players.”

“How many games did you guys steal from Earth?” I cried, exasperated.

“I want my queen back,” Noctis complained.

“No.”

He put down a four of spades and drew a card from the stack. He sighed. I deposited the three I had collected earlier and drew a card.

_Oooh, hello, there, King of Spades._

I eyed Noct as he continued to fail at getting the cards he wanted. When it was my turn again, I set my hand down. He sighed louder.

“I fucking knew it,” he muttered. I permitted myself to smirk this time.

“Now what?” I asked.

“We ought to get going if we’re to make it to the arena on time,” Ignis suggested. My heart leaped.

_Finally._

After confirming I’d be fine for dinner, I retreated to my room as they said their goodbyes. The door was closed swiftly. With an excited smile, I let a certain someone know my friends had just left.

_I should not be this happy about sneaking around._

Thirty minutes passed. My phone signaled a text and I headed downstairs. The cool evening air greeted me. A sea breeze that I took a moment to enjoy blew by. With my hands in my jacket pockets, I began to search for the object of my affections without being too obvious about it. Thankfully, Ardyn had given me directions. Meeting directly in front of the Leville wasn’t a very good idea for not being seen. I went left towards the staircase bridge connecting this side to the port. At the top I turned left into a square of people. Feeling awkward in the crowd, my feet carried me around the edges to the other side.

A romantically lit street lined with hanging plants set an atmosphere that prompted my heart to start fluttering. Just what did he have planned for today? I don’t usually get overly bothered with how I look, but for this, I really hoped my general outfit would suffice. I couldn’t exactly go shopping for something nice without raising suspicion. I turned left.

Before continuing on the next waterway road, I pulled out my phone and checked the directions I’d been given. I was near the place I was supposed to be. At the end of this small alley was a dead end. Dim lights gave me paranoid feelings. I cautiously stepped toward it. No one else was here. It was just me. My head searched frantically for any sign of danger as I went down to the end.

A wooden door lied to the right. The light red brick end stared me down as I inspected it. This must be the place. Do I knock? I stared at the doorknob like it would shock me if I touched it.

_Just go in. You’re going to be late at this point._

With a deep breath to brace myself, I charged my hand with electricity for the likelihood of an attack.

_Surely he wouldn’t send me to a dangerous place for our second date, right?_

_**I can’t believe we’re having a second date.** _

_Focus, will you?_

I opened the door and peered in. A white reception room was all I saw. A desk of what looked like limestone held a computer and various office supplies. A brick hallway leading left split the back wall right down the middle. On its right was another wooden door. I slipped inside and closed the door. Not a single person was in the room. I kept my back to the wall for second. After confirming no sudden moves or hidden presence, I crept toward the middle. The urge to call out swept over me, but I kept my mouth shut. My hand sparkled with lightning power.

Just as I thought the place was completely empty, a man in a nice suit came strutting down the hall. As soon as he saw me, he stopped. He took in my clothes and raised guard and lifted an eyebrow. Blatant disapproval was evident in his expression and his voice.

“Can I help you?” he asked. I froze, electricity still crackling around my hand.

“Uh, I…”

_What do I say? That I know Ardyn? Is he even here? Did he tell this guy, whoever he is, that I’d be coming and that I look like your basic commoner?_

_Is this even the right place to be at?_

“Are you lost?” the man said, looking more irritated by the second. My body began shaking with nerves and fear. When I didn’t answer, he continued, “I’m afraid this is a private establishment. You have to have either a written recommendation, a reservation, or be with the recommender to be admitted.”

_The hell kind of place is this…?_

“Uh- um,” I couldn’t speak. My breathing picked up its place.

_Please don’t panic now._

“I…”

“Miss, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

_Leave? But this is where I’m supposed to be, isn’t it? I can’t just go without trying!_

“No, no, I can’t,” I found myself saying. The man walked closer to see me out. “I was told to be here, I- I’m… Ah…”

“A likely story. I understand you might’ve seen posts around the internet, but those do not count. Again, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

I didn’t hear the door open or someone step inside. The man backed me up and I hit something soft. I didn’t get a chance to look back as an arm wrapped around my shoulder. The familiar scent of cinnamon met my nose.

“Ah, Ardyn! Lovely to see you again.”

_Oh thank GOD._

“A good evening to you, Joseph,” my favorite voice in the world said amicably. My anxiety began to calm slightly.

“And to you, my friend,” Joseph said. His polite gaze turned sternly to me. “I’ll be right with you as soon as I’ve dealt with… this.”

I squeaked and pressed against Ardyn.

“Oh?” he said. “She’s with me. I do hope she’s not causing too much trouble. She has a penchant for it.”

I tried hiding myself in his coat, wrapping an arm through it and around him. Joseph looked perplexed. He eyes dashed from Ardyn to me and back again several times.

“Surely you jest…” Joseph laughed awkwardly.

“I’m afraid not,” Ardyn told him. He glanced suspiciously down at me. “She… hasn’t been causing trouble, has she?”

I shook my head almost violently. Joseph cleared his throat.

“Ardyn, my dear friend,” he started, “you are… _aware_ that we have a rather strict dress code, are you not?”

Panic shot through the young woman clinging to him, causing her to shake against him. Ardyn peered down at her worriedly. Poor thing… Just what had Joseph been doing that frightened her so?

“I am,” Ardyn said. “I’m terribly sorry. Her current situation does not allow her have such luxuries. I decided to take her here on very short notice and thus had no time to prepare. Not to mention her friends would grow rather suspicious…”

“I see… But the other guests, they may not look upon her with such… fondness… as you do.”

“Well, if that is the case, then I am happy to take my services elsewhere. Perhaps the Pearl on the other side of town would suffice-”

“No, no! Please, we could never turn down the- the _chancellor_ of Niflheim. Even if he does… _associate_ himself with such…”

The arm around me tightened, pulling me closer. Ardyn’s eyes narrowed protectively. Joseph abandoned whatever comment he had ready to throw at me. He sighed reluctantly.

“You know the way. I merely came to greet you after so long.”

Ardyn brightened up.

“And I appreciate it. It’s always a pleasure to see a good friend. But next time, let’s not judge books by covers, yes?”

“Of course. Perhaps we can catch up later, then.”

“That sounds wonderful. Now, my dear, if you don't mind… Right this way.”

Still clinging to Ardyn, I fearfully eyed Joseph as I was led down the hall. The room that opened up before me was made of old brick and stone and wood instead of the white material in the front. With wide eyes, I took it all in.

The institution Ardyn had directed me to was a mismatch of several different types. Beautiful artwork decorated the walls like an art museum, paints of all different eras. I swore I saw something that looked like Monet along the back wall. Then there were the tables and chairs signifying the space also used as a restaurant. Along the left side was an alcove with a raised platform like a stage. Microphones and a drum set rested there. Then I noticed all the people in there. They milled about, going from room to room - there were multiple, I realized - and some eyes me and Ardyn as we made ourselves known. One particular woman with platinum blonde hair gave me the stink eye. I clutched Ardyn more firmly.

“I’m so very sorry for being so late, my darling,” he said to me, voice lower so no one could hear. “And for putting you in such an anxious situation.”

“It’s okay,” I told him. “I was only there for a few minutes, anyway.”

He looked relieved, shoulders relaxing. His grip on me loosened.

“Still,” he said, “it wasn’t very fair of Joseph to be so unkind toward you.”

I shrugged and looked at what I was wearing.

“I don’t blame him,” I said, gaze sweeping over the nicely dressed people in the room. “I had a feeling I’d be… underdressed…”

“Oh, come now.” He pulled me in and planted a kiss on my head. “You always look lovely to me.”

Unable to hide my smile, my head tilted down. My heart danced in my chest. The vibrations in my soul grew stronger. My eyes shyly met his.

“It’s… it’s nice to…” I swallowed. “It’s nice to see you again.”

He leaned forward to press his forehead against mine.

“And you, my dear,” he said softly. My smile reached joyful level. I enjoyed the feeling of being near him for a moment. His golden eyes gently bore into mine.

Just as he leaned in more for a proper kiss, a shrill voice pierced my ears, causing me to flinch.

“Ardyn!” The woman glaring at me earlier approached, looking smug. “I thought you said you’d be back sooner!”

“Alexandra, how good to see you.”

_I don’t like this woman. If she even thinks about-_

_Calm down, don’t get all crazy yet. She’s probably not that bad._

_She looks like a bitch._

_I said calm down._

“I see you’ve brought a pet,” Alexandra said rather condescendingly, judging me with her stare. I glared back and hugged Ardyn tighter.

“Ah, not a pet,” Ardyn corrected, pulling me to him again. “This is _______. She is very special to me.”

My chest felt lighter than air. Alexandra’s eyes eyed me up and down.

“She is aware there is a _dress code,_ yes?” she asked. Ardyn nodded.

“Joseph is very understanding. I’m afraid I called her here on such short notice she didn’t have time to find something suitable. She’s been with her friends all day.”

“Surely her friends have… a better sense of dress…”

_Wait until she sees Ignis._

“Yes, well,” Ardyn paused. “Being young boys, there isn’t much variety.”

“You… Your… ‘beloved,’ a _woman,_ spends her time with _men?”_

“They’re like my brothers,” I snapped. The air grew colder. A light flickered with a zap nearby.

“I’m sure they are.”

She looked back to Ardyn.

“Oh I’m not worried at all,” he said confidently. “They’re a rather closely knit group. It wouldn’t do to separate them.”

“But surely you have your… concerns.”

_What does- Is she calling me a whore?!_

The lightbulb nearby burst. Ardyn gave my arm a squeeze to tell me to calm down.

“Now, now, Alexandra,” he reasoned. “Do you really think I’d associate myself with someone like that?”

_She is!!!_

The air became freezing. Ardyn sent me a warning glance. I just kept glaring at Alexandra, hoping she’d just freeze over.

“Now if you don’t mind,” he continued, “we do have an evening to continue.”

“Of course… Just be careful, Ardyn. Common folk are just that: common.”

“Oh, she’s not common at all, trust me. Come along, dear.”

This time I forced myself away from foreign gaze. Ardyn led me to a cozy spot in a corner away from all the people. He shed his coat, resting it over a spare chair before pulling out another one. He gestured for me to sit. Cheeks heating up, I did so.

_Mmmmm……. If he keeps being such a gentleman, I might be dead by the end of the night._

I spoke first to let him know I was okay.

“So what kind of place is this?” I asked.

“It functions as many things,” he answered, smiling. “Sometimes it’s an art gallery, sometimes a music hall. Others, a restaurant. And occasionally all three at once.”

“I like it.”

He seemed pleased to hear that. I could feel his gaze on me as I took in my surroundings. When I felt comfortable, I gave him a reassuring smile. He relaxed finally.

“So tell me about your escapades for the day,” he said.

“Besides seeing a narwhal in person?” I thought for a moment. “Nothing else really happened unless you count besting Noct in a card game I’ve never played before.”

He laughed at that. “And which was it?”

“Um… I think it was called… Ace’s Plight?”

“Ah, yes. Very frustrating, I’ve heard.”

I giggled at the image of Noctis becoming increasingly exasperated.

“Yep,” I answered. “I also learned you guys have chess here, which is weird.”

That caught his interest.

“Do you like chess?” he asked. My body slumped forward, head hanging.

“I’m horrible at it,” I muttered. He laughed. “And when I say I’m horrible, I mean, I’m _horrible.”_

“Oh, I’m sure that’s not true.”

“I’ve never won a game. I am endlessly bitter.”

“And you are endlessly amusing, my dear. Perhaps I could give you some pointers.”

“Please.”

That night he actually told me more about himself. I assumed he took me to this hole in the wall multi-purpose establishment for that very reason. He must be quite comfortable here. The satisfaction blossoming in my chest made me feel warm all over.

Ardyn had a younger brother who had passed away some time ago- and it was very evident the two did not get along. They were always at odds, he told me, always wanting to do things differently. The way he almost forced it out and the rage in his eyes had me thinking that maybe he hadn’t planned on telling me this yet. But I thanked him for being so open about it. The tight smile I received in response tugged at my heart.

_Maybe I should change the subject._

I couldn’t think of anything to say. My mind scrambled for something, anything, to ask him. There was nothing. Maybe I should continue the architecture lecture? The archi-lecture? Wait.

“Do you like stories?” I found myself asking. He paused in his angry simmering. “Sorry, it just- this doesn’t, uh, seem like… something you’re, ah, comfortable with- er, talking about, so…”

He reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely with a smile. “And of course. Who doesn’t love a good tale every now and then?”

My nerdy grin returned. Somewhere, Noctis was getting vibes that I was about to go off about something. But did, uh, did Ardyn _want_ me to begin? This would be a tangent, I knew. He saw my hesitance.

“Please, my dear, go right ahead.”

“So…” I swallowed. “Certain things in your world, here, remind me a lot of this book back home called Lord of the Rings. It is the best story ever, I think, and I don’t even know where to start. The guy who wrote it literally made up his own languages and then created a world, called Arda, to put it in.”

I’m not sure how long I talked about Tolkien’s works. It was mostly the original novel and the Hobbit with a few dips into the Silmarillion for context. Ardyn seemed to be rather interested; he even asked questions. I tried to get through the whole story without leaving anything important out but it was hard to stay on track. I went off about Boromir and how he was actually a good guy who just wanted to protect the land and people he loved. Then I slipped into a rant about Samwise being the only thing keeping the Ring on track because Frodo wasn’t doing so well in the latter half. I told him about Treebeard and C. S. Lewis (with a summary of the Chronicles of Narnia) and then Luthien and Beren in relation to Tolkien’s wife. By the time I was done, I was going into detail talking about how Sauron, Gandalf, and the balrog were technically the same species.

Ardyn was watching me with loving amusement again. The sparkling in his eyes had caused me to falter several times. He always gestured for me to keep going. He told me Eowyn sounded a lot like me. I thought about it, and while I could see why he’d say that, there were certainly several differences. But I wouldn’t ruin his comparison by breaking down her character into explicit detail. I told him that meant he was Faramir. He accepted it wholeheartedly.

I don’t think I could ever put into words how much his interest in this world and story made meant to me. I felt so happy, like our souls had somehow connected even further. The lightness in my chest stayed for a while and I wished it would never leave.

And then I noticed something near our happy little corner.

_**Piano.** _

Ardyn turned to follow my line of sight when I stopped mid-sentence in a tangent about the White Tree of Gondor and the trees of Valinor. He chuckled and looked back to me.

“Would you like you play, my dear?”

My body went stiff. The sensory input I had been able to block via special interest override came flooding back. I glanced toward the rest of the room.

“There are… a lot of people here,” I whispered. His thumb rubbed over my hand reassuringly. “I mean, Lestallum is one thing - it’d been a while since I’d last played - but these people don’t like me very much… I don’t exactly belong here…”

“Then you most certainly should. Give yourself a chance to prove them wrong.”

“Am I even allowed to?”

“If not, then I’ll make sure you are.”

I ducked my head down. “What if they don’t like it?”

“Oh, I’m sure they will. I know I did. Joseph, a word?”

“No! It’s okay! I’m fine! Really!”

Joseph eyed me disapprovingly again as he came over. I hung my head down, scared to face him.

“We’ve noticed the piano remains empty of an accompanied musician. You don’t think the other guests would mind if ______ here were to play just one song, do you?”

“I…” Joseph paused. My head hit the table with a groan. “I’m not sure she shares the same sentiment, Ardyn.”

“Oh, she’s just shy. She’s quite talented, trust me. And you know I wouldn’t give out such compliments do freely.”

“That is true… But does she know anything… appropriate for the setting tonight?”

Ardyn’s thumb tapped my hand to get my attention. I lifted my head.

“You know something softer and more thoughtful, don’t you?” he asked gently. “I’m sure you do.”

I gulped and filed through my song inventory before landing on something that made me smile softly. I nodded.

“There you have it, Joseph. Just one song. It’s been too long since I’ve heard her play. Indulge a man, won’t you?”

Joseph sighed, seemingly realizing that this was purely Ardyn’s request since I was so adamant about leaving everyone alone.

“Just the one,” he submitted. “And it had better be worth it.”

It took some convincing, but Ardyn managed to get me to approach the piano bench after denying any more kisses. I pouted for a moment. Fine, fine, he’d get his way. But only because I like him.

I sat at the piano for a solid three minutes, staring at the keys. The song to be played was there, but I just didn’t have the courage to begin. My eyes glanced over at Ardyn. He gave me an encouraging smile. I nodded to him, and to myself. A deep breath was taken.

The start of the song was just two little notes. A few people looked up. I ignored them. My left hand began its part, the right dipping down for a series of tied notes. My right foot pressed down on the damper pedal, releasing at the right moments so the different notes didn’t stick together. Soon my left hand was moving steadily as my right played a pretty, nostalgic tune. The fluttering of the octaves and the repeated eighth notes helped set a rhythm. I poured myself right into the song.

The sweet melody gave way to a melancholic roll. It repeated and repeated, with some slight variation. The creation of a somber mood made a crescendo into something more wistful. My hands played the chords, lilting them just right. The deft fingers danced their way up the keys together and ended with the tune from the beginning.

It was cute, short and sweet. A memory of stars and stargazing. The moon was our only friend. Up and up it went until my right hand swayed out a dramatic intensity. It grew louder and louder still, until the soft notes broke in. The motif from the start played again, more mature and sure this time. I played the descending notes, clear and strong. Slowly the song came back to its pensive mood. The two keys dwindled out into the ending chord.

The air was silent. I woke myself up from the trance. Everyone in the room stared at me. I couldn’t tell if they were in shock or awe or what. Did they not like it? Should I run back to Ardyn and hide in his coat forever? Even he looked amazed. When his eyes met mine, he raised his hands to begin the applause, but someone else beat him to it.

Joseph was the first to start. The a few others joined in. Soon the whole room had me bashful and trying not to smile. The recognition was nice, it made me feel a bit more confident. But the longer I’m in the spotlight, the more uncomfortable I get. A bow was given as I stood. My feet rushed me back to Ardyn.

“You never fail to astonish me,” he said proudly. I was pulled in for a hug, which I readily returned. He wasn’t wearing his coat, but I snuggled into his embrace anyway.

Beat that, Alexandra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Narwhals, narwhals, living in the ocean  
> Causing a commotion ‘cause they are- fishing gods, apparently.
> 
> Also here’s the song Reader played:  
> https://youtu.be/IN8soKGjiGg


	27. The Golden Flowers… In My Town… Let Me See Them When I Fall Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Days pass, Reader and Ardyn go on more secret dates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title taken from this lovely song here!:  
> https://youtu.be/EsRZ8rmiEVc  
>  
> 
> This one’s a bit short. Sorry >_<  
> These aren’t the only dates they had, but I can’t write all of them out unfortunately. We have plot to get to :/

**Day 3 of Mission: Dating Start!**

 

“Noct, where are we going?”

“I dunno, lunch?”

“So we’re lost. Great.”

Noctis and I had been wandering around Altissia for what felt like hours. My feet were starting to ache. The many shops and sights to see passed by as we went on our way. We stopped at none of them.

With a week left until the rite, the five of us were growing bored quickly. The day prior we had spent seeing everything significant we could possibly see. In hindsight, that wasn’t the best of plans. Now Ignis was going from place to place for recipe ideas. Prompto and Gladio set out for all the good photo ops they could find. That left me and Noct having no idea what to do.

“I got a few bounties from Weskham,” he told me as we walked through another tourist packed square. “They don’t come out till night, though.”

I huffed. “And it’s only, what, one in the afternoon?”

“Yep.”

We both groaned. The search for good, not-too-expensive food continued. Our feet swept us through numerous streets and alleys. Finally we came upon a nice diner with a menu we could both choose from.

“So what exactly have you been doing these past couple days?” Noct asked. As I said, I spent all day with them yesterday. Now I needed a way to not outright lie about my activities during the two before that.

“I found a nice place for stargazing,” I told him. “And then found a restaurant that reminded me of one back home. Then the next day, I wandered a bit. Found a piano, played a song or two. Came back early.”

“Enjoying your introvert time?”

“Oh, most definitely. Thanks for… letting me do that.”

“No problem. We should’ve thought of it sooner.”

When we had found a place to eat and finished lunch, we journeyed around more. Finally Noct had enough of aimless wandering, so we took a gondola back to the hotel. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of travel by gondola. The sway of the boat is calming, the breeze feels amazing, the view is spectacular. I was… really going to miss this…

“You okay?”

I met his gaze. “Yeah, why?”

_Liar._

“You just… looked happy and then your mood dropped.”

“Oh…”

I twiddled my thumbs for a moment. Exhale. My eyes looked to the side.

“I’m… really going to miss you guys,” I said. Noct looked away, too.

“Yeah,” he said quietly. “Us, too.”

“And I… Is it… weird that I almost don’t want to go home?”

This time our eyes met. His were a little wide. I held myself still.

“Oh, ah,” he scrambled for something to say. “That’s, um…”

He sighed.

“Really? You were so upset about it, being away from home.”

“I know. But… I also know that I… feel like I belong here, y’know? It’s weird… It’s almost… as if I was born on the wrong planet.”

I recalled the voice of Gentiana calling me the ‘Lost Child of Eos.’ Maybe she was trying to tell me something. But why was I brought here now of all times?

_We can contemplate that later. Right now we have a brother to tend to._

“It’s…” he started. He abandoned whatever he was going to say. “Dammit…”

“What?”

“I just… don’t know how to say it.”

“I get that. Really.”

We remained silent for a few minutes. I listened to the swish of the water as the gondola glided through the city. Noctis was staring at the bottom of the boat. If he had something to say, I’d wait patiently.

The people on the streets looked so peaceful. None of them had to worry about being a literal alien. They didn’t understand how far from home one could be. But I’m sure they knew what it’s like to be terribly torn between one thing and another. Do I go home, or do I stay?

_Please, just let me know what to do._

“...It… hurts,” Noctis said, breaking the quiet, “knowing you could be leaving at any second. None of us really… want you to go. But… we understand how difficult this is for you. That’s… why we’ve been giving you space. So you can think about it without any influence.”

The tug in my heart brought emotions welling up. My chest felt tight, so did my throat. These guys were so sweet and thoughtful. How could I leave them after all we’d been through together? But I felt awful for abandoning my family back home. Would they even know where I had gone? Had I just disappeared? I didn’t want to think about how heartbroken they’d be to wake up one day and find I’d left in the middle of the night without a trace.

_Dammit, what am I supposed to do?_

 

**Day 4 of Mission: Dating Start!**

 

“So, where are we going?”

Our third date gave me flashbacks to the day before. However, this time, I was more solemn and depressed. Ardyn was very concerned. He hadn't said anything (yet), but I could tell. I didn’t want to ruin the date, but everything weighing on my mind wouldn't leave.

“‘Tis a surprise,” he said. Yay, another one. It was early evening and had been wondering why he wanted to see me sooner than usual. Luckily, the guys were busy doing their own thing. I didn’t know what, though. Hopefully they weren’t spying on me… “I do hope it will you cheer you up.”

I made a questioning chirp.

“You seem rather melancholy today, my dear. Is there something I should be concerned about?”

“Nothing I can think of,” I said. “Nothing I haven’t said a million times already. Just… wondering if my family misses me. Stuff like- stuff like that.”

_Dammit, now is not the time for crying! You are supposed to be happy and enjoying your time with him!_

_Please don’t…_

A calloused but warm hand took mine. It squeezed slightly. I squeezed back.

“I’m sure they do,” he reassured me. “I know I would.”

That made me grin slightly, heart doing a nervous flip.

“But if they don’t?” I said. “What if some sort of… temporal anomaly happened and I no longer exist there? What if I was erased from history or something? What if they don’t remember me? I don’t want to be forgotten. I don’t…”

Ardyn stopped to face me.

“I’m sorry… I don’t mean to- to be a downer or something…”

I shook my head. A smile forced its way onto my face.

“I’ll be okay.”

_Liar._

A hand tilted my chin up. He looked… he looked _sad._ It wasn’t just any sadness. It was the kind of sadness that only someone who has seen and experienced so much can exhibit. It was the kind of bleakness that makes eyes sparkle but for all the wrong reasons. It was an otherworldly melancholy like a god long forgotten and reminiscing the days he had once taken for granted. It reached his eyes, his mouth, his every feature. He was _exhausted._

“You’re never a burden, or someone who brings down the mood,” he said first. “You’re going through an atrocity no one else has, and it’s hurting you. You have every right to talk about it, to seek comfort and help.”

I nodded to show I was listening. The burning in my throat grew.

“But instead you’re internalizing it all until you can’t contain it any longer. It burns, like a cold fire. It eats you from from the inside and it won’t go away. No matter how hard you try to suppress it, it refuses to cease. I know, because…”

He paused, turning his head to the side.

“...Because I often feel the same way.”

Everything around us disappeared. I remained still for a moment. Then, slowly, I raised my arms up and wrapped them around his neck. For some reason, this surprised him. He went stiff. When I didn’t let go, his own arms came up to return the gesture.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. Against his better judgment, he buried his face in the crook of my neck. I shuddered slightly. It tickled.

“That wasn’t for me, it was for you.”

“I know. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need several hugs.”

This felt… nice. He wasn’t sure how long it had been since he had last been held like this. Since he had last been treated with such care. Even before the final fallout with his brother, he had been far away from the person he loved at the time. They rarely got to meet. But this… This was exactly what he needed after so long without affection. Without closeness. Without love.

The tenderness in her heart touched him. It reminded him of what he once was, and who he had become. She brought memories of pain and sorrow. She delivered images of love and devotion from the deepest recesses of his mind. No one else, he thought. No one else had ever done that before. Not even… her…

I began to hum a soft tune to calm myself and bring comfort to Ardyn. It was simple and repeated. The rhythm always made me smile. It was His Theme, a theme of the long forgotten coming into remembrance, of those who had been harmed being saved. A memory. A tale.

_Ardyn would make a good Asriel._

_Guess that makes me Frisk._

Something soft touched my neck. I made a startled noise. He laughed slightly, his breath causing me to shiver. The soft touch repeated. A warm feeling spread up and over me as he left a cute trail of kisses up the column of my throat, over my jaw, and right to my lips.

When the two pairs met, we never wanted to leave.

 

**Day 6 of Mission: Dating Start!**

 

“Oh, wow…!”

A gorgeous array of flowers met my vision as Ardyn and I walked through a leafy arch. When he said it was a garden, I was expecting maybe the kind you find in small castle courtyards. But this? This was more of a tiny botanical garden within the city and its walls of water.

The first thing to do was find my favorite flower: a carnation. However, flowers are often similar in color. So many reds and pinks and yellows made a pretty picture, one you could paint. We decided to just make a round around the square and back. A few steps in and I sneezed.

“Oh, allergies, please not now…” I groaned. Something tickled my nose. I tried to keep the sneeze down. And failed.

“Ah- Will you be alright?” Ardyn asked.

“Yep. I once wandered through a park in London during the summer on a school trip. Forgot to take my medicine that morning. I was miserable but kept going.”

“I can only imagine.”

I found my carnations. Their petals were so soft. The flowers themselves were very well cared for. The stems and leaves looked and felt soft but strong. The colors popped vibrantly in all manner of red and white hues. As I marveled over the purity of the white ones, a picked red carnation came into view.

“Uh, are we allowed to pick these?” I asked lowly. My smile couldn’t help but appear as my hand took the flower. Ardyn just raised a finger to his lips. Giggling, I held his gift close to me.

Just past a group of pretty orchids in every shade you could imagine, we came across a clearing. Only one color greeted us and caused my heart to start pounding with excitement.

“Golden flowers!” I gasped.

_Just like in Undertale. I guess I wasn’t kidding when I made that comparison the other day._

When I turned to Ardyn, he looked a bit uncomfortable. He shifted weight from one foot to the other. His fond grin dimmed.

“Ardyn?” I asked. He snapped out of his thoughts and met my gaze.

“I’ll be right back, dear,” he said. “I believe I saw a restroom back towards the entrance.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll be here, then.”

I watched him leave and then turned back to the vivid yellow blossoms. My feet moved forward until they were just shy of the petals. I desperately wanted to go to the middle and just sit down, but that would mean trampling the flowers and I’m not about that. There were a few children making flower crowns around the edges. I supposed it wouldn’t hurt to take one to accompany my carnation.

A nice bronze colored bench lied nearby in one of the corners. I took my flowers and sat down next to an elderly lady. She was watching her grandkids play. We rested in silence for a few minutes.

“Was that your boyfriend?” she asked me suddenly. Her eyes twinkled amusedly. Heat crept up my neck. “The man in the long coat, out in this heat?”

“Oh, um, yeah,” I said awkwardly. “I- I think that’s safe to say now.”

“I haven’t seen such an adorable couple since my husband and I!”

She laughed. A small smile peeked out from under the hair I used to shield myself.

“Thank you,” I said.

“And he’s quite the looker, too! You certainly got lucky. I hope he’s treating you right.”

I nodded and decided to initiate the slightest bit of eye contact.

“Definitely,” I told her. One of her grandchildren, both were girls, came running up to show her the bracelet they’d made with flowers.

“Oh, it’s lovely, Emilia,” she said. “Beautifully crafted. Can you make more?”

Emilia nodded and looked up at me. I tried averting my eyes, unsure of how to deal with a small child. She gasped and tugged on her grandmother’s sleeve.

“Is she a princess?” she asked in a loud whisper.

I’m not even wearing a dress…?

“Why don’t you ask her?” her grandma said. Emilia tapped on my knee. I swiveled my head to see her.

“Can- Can my sister and me make you a flower crown?” she asked shyly. Oh. Well. Great. I was going to be adopting these kids by the end of the day.

“Um, sure…?” I answered. Beaming, she pulled me over to sit in front of the patch of golden flowers. Normally I don’t like people touching me, especially strangers, but indulging these children would be better than the heartbroken look on their faces if I had said no.

Ardyn was gone an awfully long time. He knew that. But seeing those flowers, the golden ones, brought back too many memories. All of them ended with heartbreak and sorrow. He couldn’t deal with that, not now that he was finally allowing himself to move on. He already adored the new love he had found. She was sweet and kind and intelligent. A bit awkward and shy, but he found those traits to be endearing. Her anxiety worried him, but she always seemed to bounce back. Just the thought of her reassuring him she was fine for his sake sent his heart all aflutter. By the gods, he could never have remembered how falling in love felt. It was a wonderful feeling.

A wonderful but _distracting_ feeling. His anger and hatred rose up along with the Scourge as he leaned against the door in the bathroom stall. He had to calm down. Just think about something nice. She entered his thoughts. She was waiting for him now. Hopefully she wouldn’t think he had abandoned her. He wasn’t sure he could ever do such a thing.

Something dark and burning slipped from his eyes. He hissed at the welling daemonic energy. It pulsed through his body. It made him feel sick. How wretched a creature he was. How horrible. The very thing he had once sought to eradicate. And he had _become_ its incarnation.

Carnation. He had given her a flower. A warm tightness seized his chest. He latched onto the feeling. The light of his soul began to shine through as he thought more of it. He thought more of the protective boundaries he’d put in place during the rite. The soldiers were to keep her as far away from the altar as possible. He’d keep her out of harm’s way…

...And from his own wrongdoings.

The walk back through the garden sobered him. He managed to relax before he reached the clearing of golden blossoms. She wasn’t where he had left her. His eyes scanned the scene. Where had she gone off to?

“Almost done!”

The voice of a child caught his ear. He turned right to see two little girls crowding around a bigger third one. He couldn’t out many details, but a familiar jacket flashed through the openings. They were playing with the flowers, weaving them together. The two small ones worked in tandem to finish up. He waited to see what would happen.

“There! Done!”

The girls stepped aside. The one in the middle lifted a hand to feel her new crown. The wondrous smile on her face reached her eyes. She looked so joyful at their work.

Ardyn’s heart jumpstarted into hyperdrive as she caught his eye.

_**She was absolutely radiant.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to apologize for all the Undertale references but I’m not going to. I fuckin’ love that game to pieces. A lot of the fandom is crazy, yeah, but a lot of it isn’t. Just like any other fandom. But you don’t have to be part of a fandom to enjoy a game :) (personally i am part of the fandom but i’m not crazy i swear)  
> The song Reader hums when she’s hugging him is this tune:  
> https://youtu.be/eijdNQMYikY  
> If all the Undertale is too much just lemme know and I’ll tone it down lol  
> Anyway  
> After the next chapter or so we will get to the rite. Yaaaay...


	28. Amor es ardens ardor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The calm before the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title: “Love is a burning flame”
> 
> Motivation dropped RIGHT when I needed it most. I’m so sorry if this one’s pacing seems off. I tried my best >_<  
> I blame it on falling for _another_ character. My mind has centered mostly on him these past few days. (surprise, surprise! another villain!!)

**Day 8 of Mission: Dating Start!**

 

“Ah…!”

Soft, open lips attached themselves to a sensitive part of my neck. They traveled up and down, caressing the skin and suckling slightly. The only problem was that _all_ of me is sensitive. It didn’t take much for Ardyn to turn me into a melted, mewling mess. And to think this had started out as an innocent kiss goodbye.

Ignis had texted me they were heading back to the room. We were wrapping up our evening, anyway, so we said reluctant goodbyes. With hardly a thought, I reached up to plant a kiss on his lips before departing. Something in him snapped. I found myself pressed against the wall of a secret alcove we had come across.

Each little peck, every kiss burned like a warm fire in the coldest night. I clung to him, eyelids half closed. My head leaned against his. Jerking slightly when he discovered a particularly sweet spot, I guided his mouth back to mine. His hands dropped to my hips and pulled me even closer. My whole body was hot. I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt this way before. Or at least, not with such intensity. The tugging and pulling in my heart was at it strongest; it was more a yearning sensation now. The communing of our souls was so close, they were practically touching. There was only… _one way_ we could possibly be closer.

Something scraped gently over my bottom lip. Somewhere inside me, I knew what he wanted but my body wouldn’t respond correctly. Instead, my fingers ran through his gorgeous red locks, tugging slightly. I earned myself a grunt and another push against the wall. Understanding my still-new-to-this mentality, he tilted my head to slip his tongue inside.

Oh. I don’t think I’d ever get used to this… this… _feeling._ This _emotion._ It was lighter than air. I couldn’t feel anything but the wonderful man holding me. Where was I again? Was I doing something important? It didn’t matter anymore. His tongue coaxed mine into action. They didn’t battle like they would in the stories people write and read about. It was a gentle tide, a push and pull, soft strokes with the smallest hints of desperation that caused my heart to swell.

A hand slipped under my shirt, resting respectfully on my side. A small gasp left me. I wasn’t expecting that. His hand was warm and I didn’t know it would feel so… nice. It warmed me further. Lips still moving with mine, he gauged my reaction to be alright and let his other hand join the heat. It came from both of us. The cool night air had nothing on the warmth and loving fires burning within between us.

When his hands decided to explore further downward, I panicked and almost jumped away before remembering there was a wall behind me. Ardyn drew his arms back and wrapped them around my waist. His head rested against mine.

_What’s my name again?_

“Apologies,” he whispered breathlessly. I tried laughing but oxygen was still needed. It came out as an amused huff.

“It’s okay,” I told him quietly. “I was just… startled.”

He swallowed. “Still… I should keep your inexperience in mind.”

“Hard to keep your mind during… that.”

He grinned. “Trust me, darling, I can do much worse to your mind than that.”

A fiery heat rushed downward. I was certainly blushing now.

For a minute or two, neither of us said a word. The cute look of perplexion in his eyes when I rubbed my nose against his had me wishing I had a camera.

_He’s adorable!_

 

**Last Day of Mission: Dating Start!**

 

“You sure you don’t wanna come?” Prompto asked the next evening. I assured him that, yes, I wanted to stay in Altissia. They had decided to end the week long break with one last fishing excursion in the boat.

“Alright,” Noctis said. “We’ll be back sometime soon, okay? We might head over to the arena afterward.”

“Gotta get in some last minute fun before everything goes to shit,” Gladio said. I smiled.

“Right,” I said. “You guys have fun with that.”

“If you need anything,” Ignis told me, “we’re just a text away.”

“Right. Have fun! Don’t do anything too crazy!”

When they were out of sight, my heart began fluttering at the thought of being alone with Ardyn again. I wouldn’t have to worry about being discovered. Backtracking to the hotel, I stopped at a small gelato stand. Then I headed inside to kill some time.

There wasn’t really much to do. I had read every interesting thing in the books I had. The TV was on, although muted. No particular program intrigued me. So I spent the time daydreaming of an alternate universe where Ardyn wasn’t the chancellor of Niflheim but an official of Lucis. How different things would be. If that had really happened.

I thought back to our (Noct and I) adventures in Costlemark and that strange alternate planet. I hoped I’d get to see the friends we made there again. My heart did a leap at the image of one specific person. I hoped he was doing well.

The sun began to set. I glanced out the window. The sky was a pretty pink mixed with purple. The light blue above it made for a beautiful picture. Maybe Prompto got a good shot of it. Now all I had to do was wait for a text. Easy enough.

It was not easy enough. I checked my phone almost every minute. I was so bored. I almost wished I had gone with the guys. But then I might not’ve made it back in time. I sighed. So much for introvert time.

The sight of my phone lighting up had me jumping into a sitting position. Ardyn was ready and waiting. I sent a message back. I’d be right down. My jacket was still being pulled on as I headed out the door. I almost tripped on the stairs out of excitement.

He was waiting in an alcove somewhere nearby. I crossed the bridge to the dock and found a small alley Noct and I had explored the day prior. Down, down, down I went until I had reached the waterway at the bottom. This better be where Ardyn was or I’d be mad at having to climb all those stairs.

He was standing next to a gondola. I sped up until I had reached him. He had been talking to the gondolier. I tapped his shoulder.

“Ah, there you are, my dear!” he said. “I’m terribly sorry for keeping you waiting once again. Could you ever forgive me?”

I smiled. “I don’t know… We’ll see.”

He pretended to look hurt.

“Then I shall do my best to make it up to you,” he said. “Come! I have prepared a most delightful evening for us.”

“You didn’t have to,” I told him. We stepped into the gondola.

“Perhaps not, but I wanted to. It is our last night before the rite, after all.”

_Right. I keep forgetting that. I have a feeling something’s not going to go the way we planned._

The ride on the gondola was more enjoyable than usual now that Ardyn was with me. I realized we hadn’t actually done this together yet. He let me lean on his shoulder. The warm feeling in my heart made me so comfortable.

The city lit up as we moved through the water. Strings of light decorated the buildings. Streetlights illuminated the squares and courtyards we passed by. The sound of people chattering and their footsteps echoing almost drowned out the gentle swish of the water. The sky was clear and full of stars. A full moon brightened the evening.

We reached end the of the ride in maybe fifteen minutes. The gondola station rested in a higher class neighborhood with clean white buildings and brick roads. I felt out of place. The handfuls of people on the streets were dressed beautifully in suits and dresses. Then there was me in my T-shirt and jeans. I pressed up against Ardyn as he led me down a brightly lit avenue with hanging potted plants. My hand reached out to run through their leaves. It calmed me slightly.

The restaurant Ardyn took me to the most elegant one I had seen so far. It looked like a mini Greek temple. Small, decorative ionic columns lined every side of the building. More stringed lights were wound through the marble pillars. The opening looked very much like a church facade with its Greek pediment and detailed frieze. Images of the Astrals had been carved into them.

The inside was inlaid with carpet. A deep red was the defining color for the whole establishment with gold and white as the trim and accents. Ardyn only said a few words to the hostess at the front and then we were being led to the back.

_Oh wow… I do not deserve this._

It wasn’t just the back, though. It was a _balcony._ I almost questioned why a Greek temple had a balcony but decided not to. The railing looked like little doric columns and was as white as the rest of the building. A single table had been placed there, covered with a wine red tablecloth. One new candle sat near the center. Its placement didn’t obstruct our view however.

“Well now I feel even more underdressed,” I joked. A kiss was planted on my head.

“Worry not,” Ardyn said as he sat down. He sent me a heart fluttering smirk. “It is but the two of us only, tonight.”

I gulped. That sentence could have multiple meanings.

“Oh, and do order whatever you like. The price matters not. I’m indulging you to the best of my ability tonight.”

My mind traveled to even more places it shouldn’t. I nodded, neck warming uncomfortably. He smiled at my understanding.

After a summary of the day so far and after everything had been ordered, Ardyn asked me if I was okay with making a synopsis of my entire journey on Eos. I shifted in my seat, thinking. He said that I didn’t have to tell him everything and definitely not in too much detail. He was merely curious. I had told him of my past life already. My new life was still just that - new.

“I thought you were following me,” I said with narrowed eyes.

“Not in the capacity you’re thinking of,” Ardyn countered. “I don’t have that kind of time, I’m afraid.”

“Well, where do you want me to start?”

“At the very beginning.”

_Oh geez okay. That’s a stretch. Let’s see…_

“Well it started with a dream…”

I struggled to remember the details of the first dream Shiva had supposedly granted me. I had been flying up in the clouds. Eos was below me and I drifted closer. I found Angelgard and touched down there. Then I heard a voice and -

“Agh…”

The headache came back. Something was still blocking the rest of the memory from my conscious mind. That blurry glass door wouldn't budge. The blue silhouette just hovered there, waiting.

_Waiting for what?_

“Please don’t hurt yourself,” Ardyn’s gentle voice broke my painful trance. “I’d hate to end the night so soon because you’re not feeling well.”

“No, I’m okay,” I assured him. The headache ebbed away. “That dream doesn’t want to be completed, it would seem. But after that, I woke up and was quite literally falling from the sky.”

He listened with earnest interest in the swift rescue my friends had made. Sometimes he leaned forward just a tad. Sometimes his head would lean a little to one side. But he smiled and frowned at all the right places.

I reached the part when Cid told me about the legend of the Oracle and the man from another world. My heart ached. That memory was still clear in my mind, even after a month. I skipped the details of my mental breakdown and moved to Galdin Quay.

“I have a friend back home who absolutely _adores_ the ocean,” I smiled at the thought.

“Would this be the ‘Pippi’ I’ve heard so much about?” Ardyn asked amusedly. I nodded, smile stretching wider.

“I was trying to take some pictures to show her if I got home. Then I realized I was lagging behind and sped up to catch up with my friends. And then I ended up bumping into you.”

I couldn’t help but giggle at the memory.

“How cute you were,” Ardyn cooed, “running after me and stuttering so much. You could hardly say a word!”

“Hey, that’s not funny,” I pouted. “I don’t mean to st-stut- stuth- ugh… I don’t mean to do that.”

He laughed. “I know, I know. I just enjoy the effect I have on you, my dear.”

My head hung in my bashfulness. I moved my legs like they were swinging back and forth.

“And after Insomnia?”

The light mood dimmed.

“They headed back to see it for themselves,” I explained. “Prompto got hurt while fighting some MTs. No one was close enough to help so I ran to do that. But when I touched him…”

“You healed him,” Ardyn finished. “And so it begun.”

“Yep.”

I talked about meeting up with Cor and the imperial base we took down. Ardyn didn’t look happy when I told him I exerted myself too much and fell asleep shortly afterward.

“Oh! I forgot about the giant bird Gladio and I snuck past.”

“...The what?”

One explanation later and Ardyn’s lip twitched in disapproval.

“Are they really that irresponsible,” he accused, “that they’d let a defenseless girl do something so dangerous, so _reckless?”_

“......You’re not going to like several parts of this story.”

With a resigned sigh, he sat back in his chair. He gestured for me continue.

“So… We got to Lestallum…”

I told him about meeting Iris, Jared, and Talcott. We smiled at the memory of our second meeting. Then I went on to narrate my first fighting lesson. The day after that, I discovered further magic ability.

“Then we went to this icy cave full of daemons and fought our way to the back to get a royal arm. Every time I’m present for Noct receiving one, I get these weird visions of someone.”

“What sort of visions?”

“Like, brief glimpses of his life, I guess? In the first, he was talking to someone who looked like him. I guess they’re brothers or something. Then they were arguing. And then… Hmm… I’m not sure what exactly happened in the last one. There was a pile of burnt bodies and the same guy as usual.”

Ardyn’s expression told me nothing of his emotions. He held my gaze evenly, holding something back. I asked if he was okay.

“I’m perfectly fine,” he said, shaking his head. He wasn’t very convincing but I didn’t pry any further.

My story continued. I reached the encounter with Ravus and we decided to gloss over it after a quick explanation of my thought process at the time. After that was the Rock of Ravatogh that I never got to see and Costlemark Tower.

“Alright, so I just want you to know,” I started, “that there was nothing more we could do. Noctis did his damn best to protect me.”

Ardyn’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll be the judge of that.”

I told him about the whole of that fiasco in much detail. How much I adored the architecture. Walking into the tower at night and seeing the inside in all its glory. Getting too far without curatives and having to backtrack. And finally getting ourselves trapped due to my increasing coughing problem.

“And there was no way out?” he questioned.

“There was, but it was at the bottom of the tower. In the control room. Which was super hard to get to.”

The majority of the tower wasn’t too bad. We survived and took breaks as needed. That set Ardyn at ease for a short while. The puzzle room amused him. I recounted our silly arguments in there about how solve it. We were both laughing. But then I told him how I almost died. Twice.

He was silent for a few minutes after I finished the jabberwock story. There was fire in his eyes, burning just like his name. I was expecting an angry outburst, or a long lecture about safety and my friends not taking care of me. I got neither of those.

“That demon scarred you?” he asked. He was eerily calm. I nodded slowly. “You almost died.”

“...Yes…”

“And it happened again.”

“.............Yes.”

Silence. He controlled his breathing carefully. If he let go of control, his grip would slip and the Scourge would spill out. He had to rein himself in. There was plenty of time to kill Noctis later. For now he had to be grateful the gods had allowed her to live for so long. She had made it through hell and back and now sat before him, alive and well.

“I see,” he breathed. “And I’m assuming your friends berated Noctis for it?”

“Both of us, yeah,” I said. “Gladio did a number on him.”

Ardyn nodded. “Then I suppose there isn’t anything I can do, is there? You seem to be a magnet for danger.”

I averted my eyes. He was right. And that was why Noctis and the others didn’t trust me with myself. Ever since I came to Eos, danger had followed me everywhere. Not much could be done about it.

The quetzalcoatl story was next. I got through it fairly quickly. My magic impressed him, to say the least. I had already explained the blessing I received from Shiva, but this was the first real taste I had gotten of that power. Too bad my body could hardly stand it.

“You’re quite the little powerhouse, aren’t you?” he teased. “Though I _do_ wish you’d take better care of yourself.”

“Yeah… So does everyone else I know.”

When I reached Altissia, we stopped there. We had long since finished eating. He insisted on dessert. I warned him of my extreme sweet tooth.

“Hmm,” he hummed, pretending to think. “I’m not usually one for overly sweet thing…”

He flashed me a rather sinful smirk. I swallowed.

“...But for you, I’m sure I could make a few _arrangements.”_

Mental shutdown, initiating…

“I…” I trailed. He looked triumphant at my speechlessness. “Oh…”

The air suddenly increased a few degrees. The mood had shifted with his smirk. An almost palpable string connected us. It wasn’t the one we often felt. It was… different somehow. It was a need more than a longing. My whole body felt warm

“Perhaps we can go elsewhere to make these arrangements?” he suggested, leaning over the table. One of his hands rested over mine. “Maybe enjoy another kind of meal… After all, it is our last day here...”

“L-like- like where?” I asked.

_Does he… mean what I think he means?_

“It depends…” he said. “Just how long will your friends be away?”

Anticipation had me hurriedly following him back to his hotel room that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know what you’re thinking and yes, they did. However, I’m not sure if I’ll write it out. I’ve read my fair share of smut, yes, but I’ve never actually done the sex before so... I’m not exactly qualified fo write it. I mean, I can _try_ but... I want my writing to be accurate and I have no idea how accurate fanfics are :/ tell me whatcha think and I shall deciiiide  
> Hope you guys are doing well!


	29. (IMPORTANT) I Really Hope You Don’t Hate Me...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Author’s apology for her emotions and motivation.

So. Imagine you have a crush on someone. And it’s a BIG one. You know how that feels, right? Of course you do. For months you fantasize about this person. You think you might love them. You create a narrative in your head that won’t leave no matter what you try. And so you decide to write it down. You convince your anxiety that maybe other people would like said story. So you post it online.

And then a few months later, you learn about this character’s love interest. They loved someone in the past. It hurts. You can feel the compression in your chest at the thought. You cry a little. But that’s okay! You can deconstruct that love story with your own words. You are ready. You want to write this.

You also love all the people who have supported you for the past few months. You always look forward to their comments. They fill your heart with happiness. Whenever you see them, your heart feels lighter and just swells with joy. These people understand you!!

But someone happens halfway. More information gets released about this character. It signals the end of the tale of their world. You’re sad, but excited to see all the new stuff. And then you play the stuff. And you find... that maybe... all things come to and end. Including your love for this character.

I just finished Episode Ardyn. I loved it, it was fantastic. I actually don’t hate Somnus much anymore. I understand him now, a little. I mean, that doesn't justify what he did, but... It puts things into perspective. After all, the Prologue was from Ardyn’s point of view.

I feel I might cry from disappointing you all. I’m not really sure what happened. One moment I was planning to acquiesce to your comments on the last chapter, the next I find that maybe most of my feelings have disappeared. I respect Ardyn and Aera’s relationship. She was a significant part of his life and part of his motivation for revenge. Even thought she was never even _mentioned_ until now. Seriously, SE, what’s up with that?

But I have no motivation to continue this particular story. I hate it. I hate that I’ve gotten your hopes up so high only to have them come crashing down. So... I’m going to let you know what was going to happen.

During the Rite, Reader is paired with Prompto. They help with evacuations and when things were mostly clear, Noctis has her head to the altar to find Luna. And find Luna she does. Except... Ardyn is there as well. He has a knife in his hand. She calls out his name before he can strike. He turns in surprise. She should not be here. With her here, Luna would survive. As Reader talks to Ardyn, Luna helps Noctis by summoning the Royal Arms. So Ardyn simply knocks the Oracle unconscious, using a bit of magic to keep her that way for a while. Then he steps into his airship and flies away, leaving a very confused Reader with the promise of seeing her again.

Then Episode Ignis happens. As Noctis fights Leviathan, Reader is protecting Luna from any of the goddess’ attacks. The whole day of running around and fighting is beginning to exhaust her. Finally, Leviathan is defeated. Noctis descends and is also unconscious. She guards them as she waits for someone to come find them.

Ignis comes along. Reader runs to him and they hug, glad the other is alright. Ravus is with him. He stops when he sees her. After a few seconds, he rushes to Luna’s side, thinking she’s dead. Ignis inspects Noctis. As Ravus begins to lament, Reader tells him that Luna is merely unconscious. This doesn’t help much, though. He’s still furious with Noct. He and Ignis fight, Reader ordered to stay back. She does so extremely reluctantly, still guarding the Oracle and King.

When Ardyn comes along, she is restrained along with Ignis, though she’s standing and not on the ground. She is appalled to see Ardyn threaten her new “brother.” The MTs keep Ignis secured. When Ardyn raises his hand to strike Noctis, she breaks free - right as Ravus throws a dagger. It hits her in the abdomen. Everyone is in shock. Reader falls to her knees. Turns out Ravus hurt her after all.

Ardyn drops his knife. He holds Reader to him, a familiar memory flashing in his mind. Recalling the grief he still harbored, he manages to heal her, albeit just barely. She can’t stand. Then he turns on Ravus, pissed. Ravus gets demonified. Ignis is offered to go with Ardyn. He breaks free and puts on the ring. Ardyn and Ignis fight while Reader calls out weakly for them to stop.

Reader can’t heal Ignis, no matter how hard she tries. It almost kills her inside. They keep the unconscious Noctis company for a few days. Luna awakes before he does, but she is not well. The price of communing with the gods is slowly killing her. Leviathan was too much, and her time is up. In her final breaths, she tells Reader the purpose of her (Reader) being here.

Ardyn and Reader are soulmates. At the beginning of time, when we were but unformed particles, their molecules were close together and living harmoniously. When the universe began, they were separated. Reader was born on the wrong planet. So when the time came for the True King to begin his ascension, they brought her to Eos to find her beloved. However, there’s more to it than that. Reader and Noctis are also soulmates, in a way. They’re platonic soulmates, familial, even. It’s why they’re so familiar with each other. Bringing Reader to join with her molecular, particular family was a must. So she fell.

Reader tells Ignis, who is having trouble adjusting to being blind. He tells her in turn that that was his “delusional theory.” He didn’t think soulmates could exist. But it was all he could think of. They continue their watch over Noct, who wakes to find Luna has passed while he was out. Reader does her best to console him.

On the train to Gralea, Reader is having none of Gladio’s shit. She argues Noct’s case against him. Ignis intervenes as usual. The two dark-haired boys go their separate ways in the train. Hungry, Reader goes to find the food car. As she passes the bedrooms, time freezes around her. A door opens and she investigates. Ardyn traps her so they can talk.

A very upset Reader begins her verbal assault on her supposed soulmate. He tries to make excuses but she’s not having it. She wants a true explanation. He doesn’t tell her everything yet. He does tell her that he wasn’t going to kill Noctis (yet) and that he was just playing. She begins to see the madness within him and tries her damn best to understand. Despite this, she still loves him. And she hates that she does. She tells him what Luna said. It surprises him. The light of her soul connects with his, bringing the real him forth. He says he’d apologize, but he’s come so far. He’ll explain everything, he promises. She demands why he was going to kill Luna. He remains silent.

A distraught Reader meets Noctis in the food car. She confesses her feelings for Ardyn, and how much she hates herself for it. Noct can’t really handle it and tries not to hurt her feelings, so he just says that people can’t help who they like.

When they arrive at the train station, they go down into the quarry. Reader is very worried about Ignis and stays with him. She can practically feel his frustration at everything around him. She tries to play peacekeeper for him but it just makes Gladio angrier. The Malboro is defeated, Noctis gets the royal arm. The vision she has is of the black-haired man fighting his brother and a blonde woman putting herself between them. Ignis finally puts his foot down. After that, they board the train again.

Reader gets taken along with Prompto. However, she goes willingly after Ardyn bribes her with making sure Noct and the others don’t get hurt. Episode Prompto occurs. Reader comforts Prompto and reminds him of how much his friends love him. Before Prompto goes in to confront Verstael, Ardyn pops up to take his beloved Reader elsewhere. Using his timestitch ability, he takes her to Gralea and explains everything. And yes, I mean _everything._

Reader is empathetic towards his story. But she’s also excited to meet someone who lived so long ago, especially since he’s the healer she’s been so curious about. But that doesn’t excuse some of his actions. Ardyn goes back go Episode Prompto, leaving Reader in his rooms within Zegnautus Keep to contemplate. She is visited again by Shiva in a dream. The dream she had before she fell was revealed to her. Shiva informs Reader of her goal as Ardyn’s last tie to the light. If he keeps simmering in darkness, he will never move on. He will cease go exist. No one wants this.

Ardyn returns and tells Reader Noctis is there. He has to oversee all the preparations he made, so she needed to stay put. Daemons were still prowling about the keep. After some time, Reader gets tired of waiting and wants to see Noct. She sneaks out and somehow finds the crystal room. The crystal (and Bahamut, I guess) reveal to her Noctis’ fate. She breaks. She cries. Why must she be inserted into this destiny? Why must she know such friendship and love only to lose it all so soon?

Noctis comes in. Reader runs to him. They share a long hug. She can’t bring herself to tell him what she saw in the crystal. When it begins to eat him, she desperately tried to get him out from its grip. Ardyn begins his monologue by telling Reader she should have stayed put, but no matter. He would let no harm come to her. He tells her to head out of the room. She refuses. So he tells Noctis his story. When Noct is swallowed, he drags her out of there. She is separated from her remaining friends and heads fo Insomnia with Ardyn.

Ten years pass. A few months in, Reader manages to convince Ardyn to let her see her friends once a month. She tells them everything. When she’s home, he continues her fighting lessons. She learns a good few tricks and receives the gift of fire from Ifrit. With all three elemental blessings, she is now considered a witch or sorceress of some sort. Ardyn is proud. Reader feels like a Mary Sue but stays quiet.

Noctis arrives. Ardyn informs her of it. When he goes out to greet them, she sneaks out to find them. She finds Cor’s Kingsglaive hideout and knocks. He demands she leave or he’ll strike her, declaring her a traitor to Noctis, who comes to the door. They have an emotional reunion. Another hug is shared. Shd apologizes for everything. He tells her it’s alright, that she never once betrayed him. She accompanies him and their friends through Insomnia. They fight the Cerberus. Noct marvels at Reader’s abilities. She has made much progress while he was gone.

Reader sneaks away again before they reach Ifrit, stating that Ardyn would be furious if he saw her out here. When she reached the room with all the paintings before throne room, she encounters Somnus, who is waiting under Ardyn’s control to fight his descendant. She argues with him for Ardyn’s sake. But, unlike Ardyn, she grants his wish of understanding why he did what be did. Coming to a truce, she leaves him behind to enter the throne room. She waits with Ardyn, standing at his side.

The mirage of bodies hanging from the ceiling sickens her. She knows Ardyn isn’t really like this, but still. He refuses to take it down. They wait quietly as Noct and co. enter the room. She gives Ardyn a kiss before heading down the stairs. She has spent the last ten years preparing for this. It still hurt. She wasn’t ready.

As Noct and Ardyn fight, she slowly makes her way to the steps leading to the Citadel. She sees them crash down from their armiger battle. Her feet carry her down the stairs quickly. As Ardyn’s lied dying, she sprints to hold him. Noctis promises him that he can rest in peace now. Reader brings one of his hands to her cheek. He smiles as he faded away.

Reader breaks again. Noctis watches solemnly as she cries out and sobs from the pain of losing her beloved. When they’ve both calmed, she heals him and they head back to citadel together.

Reader follows Noct to the door of the throne room. She leaves him there, crying again and hugging him. She doesn’t want to let go. She sings “Don’t Forget” to him. He smiles and says he’ll always remember it. When he’s gone inside, she dashed back out to the front to help her friends with the daemons.

They aren’t doing well. Ignis is in trouble and doesn’t see the daemon about to grab him. Reader takes his place. As the sun rises, she dies in the light, unable to be healed.

She awakes in her room on Earth. Nothing has changed. She cries more. She rushes downstairs to see her mother on the couch with their new puppy. Nothing has changed. Life goes on as normal. But she doesn’t. Ardyn had written her a letter from the afterlife and left her his scarf and the Oracle ascension coin. She tells her closest friend about everything. The friend doesn’t believe her until she demonstrates her new powers. They are the only two who know.

Reader comes across a game. She plays it while her parents are out. It hurts her so much, she almost can’t take it anymore. Final Fantasy XV didn’t have her in its story. Their Ardyn was gone. After some time, she writes out her whole tale as a fanfiction and posts it on the Internet.

Several years pass. The story ends with Reader securing a job as a translator at Square Enix America.

The epilogue consists of Ardyn and Reader reuniting in the afterlife. They marry, like Luna and Noct did. The entire tale comes to and end as Reader asks Ardyn several days later if he still likes her. He laughs and replies that he always will, till the end of time.

So yeah. That was the whole plan. I feel awful for not being able to finish it. I’m so so so so sorry. Maybe one day, I will finish it, if I find inspirationt to. But for now, I just can’t. I’m sorry.

I hate to quote Somnus on this but...

I’m not asking you to forgive me. I’m asking you to understand.

HOWEVER - and this is a HUGE however!!!

I am seriously considering rewriting this story with the focus on Reader and Noctis as soulsiblings and no romance between her and Ardyn. There MIGHT be a bit with a certain character I discovered in Dissidia NT. But that will come much later and in a separate work I’ve already started called The Myriad Multiverse Misadventures of Reader and Noctis. No idea whether that’ll see the light of day.

I’m going to finish Again?! No doubt about that. It’ll explain the coughing thing - which comes from Reader being infused with too much light magic by the gods. She needs a counter of darkness to live if she keeps healing. So there’s that.

I may completely rescind this chapter and continue some days from now. That’s a big if. I have a habit of saying I’ll do something, and then not doing it. It also works the other way around. So we’ll have to see.

Again, I am very sorry. I hope you understand.

You all are seriously the best. I love you all.

Goodnight.


	30. (IMPORTANT) A Final Notice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Author bids you all a very fond farewell...  
> ...for now.

If you haven’t read the previous chapter, I suggest you do so.

So as you all know, this particular work is pretty much a grave by now. Someday, I may finish it, but as Aragorn once said: “. . . but it is not this day.”

HOWEVER

If you like the general story and want to see an eventual continuation, I AM reworking it so there is no romance, I repeat, there is _**no romance**_ between Ardyn and Reader. There _might_ be some “connections” made in Dissidia if I decide to include that here (I probably will becaude character relationship development), so if that’s at all interesting to you, come along and see! _That work is currently up as we speak and it is called “Brick By Boring Brick.”_

I’m not going to act like some big shot writer with tons of views and whatnot. I know most of you probably won’t transition to that story with me. That’s okay!!! I just don’t want you to feel bad about it. This is just a notice for the handful of people who have expressed interest in the other timeline. If you’re done with this particular one, then that’s perfectly fine. I understand. I just hope you can understand my reasoning for the transition.

As per usual, I can’t thank you all enough. These past few months have lifted my spirits and self esteem (concerning my writing, at least) in ways you probably don’t know. I’m not usually the type of person to put myself out there. I’m much too shy and anxious for that. But I have one weakness: sharing things with people. And that’s what I did here. I’m glad we could be happy together, even if it was just for a short moment in the long film reel of life.

I love you all and wish you all the very best.


End file.
